What Would Come Has Come
by FleurHartz
Summary: I have been working on this fic for awhile now, and I hope all of you like it. It's a story with everything- romance, mystery, action, humor, you know--all the fun stuff. It's got R/H (especially in the later parts) and G/H. Please r/r!
1. Default Chapter Title

Harry looked out the window in his compartment on the Hogwarts Express.   
It was nearly the beginning of his fifth year, but he couldn't muster   
much excitement. Voldemort had been gathering all his followers   
together the entire summer and several killings, Muggle and otherwise,   
had resulted. But Harry always knew that Voldemort didn't care about   
killing those people. The only person he cared about killing was Harry. Harry Potter, the only wizard who had ever defeated him, and before Harry was even out of diapers.   
This summer had not been a terrible one. The Dursleys were strangely   
kind to him. Harry suspected Dumbledore had spoken to them, and it   
had frightened them into submission. He slept in the newly refurbished   
guest room, and was allowed to work on his wizarding homework when   
and wherever he wanted. They just ignored him completely, which was a   
pleasant switch from being yelled at the second he stepped into a room.   
He had asked Uncle Vernon to sign his Hogsmeade slip, and he had done   
so with barely a glance away from the newspaper. Hedwig regularly   
brought him letters from Ron and Hermione. Mr. Weasley and Percy were   
so overworked at the Ministry of Magic that they had barely spoken to   
the rest of the family the whole summer. Ron didn't mind this in   
Percy's case, but he said that he missed his dad. The Ministry was   
working extremely hard to keep the Voldemort situation under control,   
but were not having much success.   
Hermione had had a good summer, but was a little frightened the   
whole time. The only people, so far, Voldemort had been attacking   
were Muggle-born. Harry was extremely glad she had made it through   
the summer unscathed, and was rather nice to be sitting with his   
two best friends in the whole world.   
All of them were sitting silently, lost in their own thoughts about  
everything that had happened over the summer. Ron was absently   
pulling at a loose thread on his Chudley Cannons sweatshirt and   
Hermione had the Standard Book of Spells, Volume 5 open in her lap,   
but wasn't reading it.   
Suddenly, the witch who sold snacks wheeled her now squeaky cart   
up to their compartment.  
"Oh, are we halfway there already?" Hermione gasped, looking down   
at her watch.  
Harry treated them all to Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans   
and Chocolate Frogs. They started talking normally, as if snapped   
out of a trance.   
"Eurgh, vomit flavor." Ron grimaced, looking at a familiar   
sickeningly green candy bean.  
Just as he said this, Malfoy entered their compartment,   
with Pansy Parkinson on one arm and Crabbe and Goyle standing behind  
him.  
"Just in time." Ron said, offering the bean to Malfoy.  
Malfoy didn't respond.Harry couldn't help noticing that he looked   
a little different. His normally greasy blond hair was freshly washed   
and combed, his eyes were a little less narrowed and he even looked   
happier than usual. As Pansy grinned sweetly at Malfoy, Harry knew why.  
"Wow, Granger, still alive, huh? Pity Voldemort didn't get to all   
the Mudbloods this summer." Pansy said viciously.  
Hermione looked up at her defiantly, as if daring her to continue.  
"Shut up, Pansy." Ron growled angrily.  
"Did you need something, Malfoy?" Harry asked.  
"Just wanted to say hello." And to Harry's shock, Malfoy extended a   
hand.  
Harry looked up at him with raised eyebrows. Then he saw under   
Malfoy's bent thumb was a folded sheet of paper. Harry slowly shook   
Malfoy's hand, and felt the paper passed into his open hand.  
Ron and Hermione were watching with open mouthed shock. Crabbe   
and Goyle looked at them stupidly, as if they felt like they had   
missed something. (which wouldn't be unusual) Pansy looked confused   
and kept staring at Malfoy for an explanation.  
But neither said anything. And Malfoy left, leading his entourage   
with him. They could hear Pansy questioning him shrilly as they   
walked down the hall.  
"What the-?" Ron asked, still in shock.  
"Oh, you know what, I've got to go to bathroom...er...be back in  
a moment." And with that, Harry dashed off.  
Ron and Hermione looked at each other, wide-eyed.  
"Feel as though we're missing something, Hermione?" Ron asked.  
She just nodded, looking a little worried.  
Harry entered the beautifully decorated bathroom and ducked into   
a stall, locking it tightly. He curiously unfolded the paper. It   
was a newspaper clipping.   
  
Wizarding Montly Reports….  
Special Correspondent: Eliza Pinswooke  
The Death Eaters have made no secret of their   
constant search for Harry Potter, the boy who defeated You-Know-Who.   
It seems that the Dark Lord wants his revenge, and won't stop until   
he gets it. One witch, Helda Frogglegute, has survived a Death Eater's   
attack and has a very interesting piece of information Exclusive to   
Wizarding Montly, she has revealed that after narrowly escaping a   
Death Eater, she remembered something from her attack. She was held  
captive in her own home, and every morning the Death Eater would tell   
her he would free her if she could tell him the whereabouts of   
Harry Potter.   
She asked what he would do if he found the boy. All he would reveal  
is that You-Know-Who plans to settle the score and has spies   
everywhere, watching and waiting .Helda escaped the following  
morning out a window and got in contact with Wizarding Montly with   
this bit of information. She is now under special protection by the  
Ministry of Magic. Let's hope that wherever Harry Potter is, he   
is well protected and on his guard  
  
Attached to the clipping was a small, scribbled note.  
  
Just thought you should know. -Draco Malfoy  
  
Harry looked at the note, genuinely shocked. Why on earth would   
Draco want him to know that he should be extra careful? Was this   
some sort of cruel joke? But something inside Harry told him it   
wasn't. Draco Malfoy had just done a genuinely nice thing. And it   
felt really, really weird to be holding a tip-off from Malfoy in   
one hand as he opened the door to the bathroom, and walked out,   
slightly dazed.  
He suddenly ran straight into Malfoy, completely alone, who was   
headed for the bathroom himself.  
They looked at each other for a moment.  
"Er, thanks, Draco." Harry said rather nervously.  
"Get out of my way." Draco snarled, pushing past him.  
Which left Harry feeling more confused than ever.  
Ron and Hermione were playing chess on a nifty little portable board Hermione had gotten over the summer when Harry came back.  
They both stopped and looked up at him.  
"What was that all about?" Ron asked.  
"I don't what's up with him." Harry said honestly.  
And the subject was dropped.  
As the trip progressed, Dean, Seamus and Neville all dropped in for a  
moment to say hello. And just when they were finishing off the last   
of their candy, a very unexpected visitor opened their compartment   
door.  
It was Fleur Delacour, looking just as stunning as she had before.  
"Hello, 'Arry!" She practically shrieked, running over and giving him   
and Ron a big hug.  
"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked, rather coldly.  
"I am helping 'Agrid as the Care of Ze Magical Creatures Assistant.   
I'snt zat wonderful!!" She looked positively ecstatic.  
"That's great!!" Ron said, a little too enthusiastically.  
"Since when does Hagrid need an assistant?" Hermione muttered   
under her breath.  
Fleur didn't notice. She flashed them all a dazzling smile and   
dashed off.   
"Wow, that's so cool! I knew she was going to try and get a job   
at Hogwarts, but I didn't think it would happen over one summer!"   
Ron was very pink around the ears.  
"I suppose Hagrid might have to take a few days off." Hermione   
said thoughtfully.  
She remembered Dumbledore saying that Hagrid was going to have to   
help get all the giants on the side opposing Voldemort before it   
was too late. Giants would either be a very strong ally, or a very   
deadly enemy.  
In the next few minutes, the train began to slow. The sun was   
setting, causing the sky to turn a very magnificent pink. The   
first years were talking excitedly as Hagrid herded them onto   
the many small boats that would take them across the river.  
Hedwig was flying crazily around her cage as Harry started to   
put his things onto a carriage. Ron, Hermione and Neville were   
already inside.  
"What is it, Hedwig?" He looked at his owl curiously.  
She was going berserk. Finally, Harry opened the door to her cage   
just a bit. She shot out like a cannon, and soared over to the group   
of first years. Letting out an exasperated cry, Harry hurried after   
her. Pushing through the crowd, he saw that Hedwig had landed right   
on the shoulder of a very tall first year girl.  
"I'm so sorry." Harry apologized quickly.  
"That's all right." She grinned at him.  
"I'm Harry Potter." He said, taking Hedwig off her shoulder.  
"Of course," she said, not even looking at his scar, "I'm Christine  
Hartsook. Nice to meet you."  
"Yeah, you too." Something about her looked very familiar.  
Harry gave her a quick smile, and dashed off for his carriage.   
But they had all started off down the road to Hogwarts, except for one.  
He hurried into it, not even caring who else rode with him.  
To his great surprise, it was Angelina, Alicia and Katie.   
"Harry! It's good to see you!" Alicia smiled brightly at him.  
"Our carriage was a little delayed. Katie had some trouble loading up   
her things." All three of them giggled.  
The four of them were all soon talking excitedly about a new  
Quidditch season.  
"Harry, you do realize, that Oliver's gone and we have no Keeper or   
Captain? We've already talked to Fred and George, we're all meeting   
on the Quidditch field at 6:00 p.m. tomorrow night to decide what   
to do."  
"Well, we'll have to tell Professor McGongall to tell the Gryffindor  
house that a new Keeper's needed." Harry suggested.  
"We have. And she said that she will. I just hope we can get somebody   
who will fill Oliver's spot well."  
"He really was a great Keeper." Angelina said, a slight melancholic   
air to her voice.  
They all grew quiet. Even though he could be a little maniacal about   
Quidditch, everyone was really going to miss him.  
"Well, at least we won the last year he was here. But we've got to   
find someone great, because Gryffindor's on quite a winning streak,   
and we're not giving it up now." Katie said determinedly.  
They all voiced their agreement just as the carriage came to a halt   
Hogwart's main entrance. All getting out and saying their good-byes,   
Harry looking around for Ron and Hermione. They were already seated   
at the Gryffindor table on the far end of the hall, and were watching   
the entrance for him. Hermione waved, and he hurried over to them.   
As he was hurrying past the Ravenclaw table, he ran smack into Cho   
Chang.  
"Hello, Harry! Have a good summer?" She was smiling.  
Harry felt the familiar lurch in his stomach.  
"Yes, you?"  
"Well…not really." Her eyes suddenly got slightly misted over.  
Harry felt really stupid. Her boyfriend, Cedric Diggory, had been   
killed by Voldemort at the end of the last year. Why had he even asked?"So, I'll see you later then." He said quickly.  
"Right, see you." She smiled, although a little more forced this time.  
And she went and sat with her many friends at the Ravenclaw table as   
Harry sat down in the seat Ron and Hermione had saved for him. The  
Sorting was just about to begin. For once, stuffed with candy, the   
three of them could actually enjoy it and not think about the   
wonderful feast that awaited them.  
All the first years got in a line, some looking slightly nervous.   
Harry scanned the line and spotted Christine Hartsook. She was   
looking straight at him with her dark eyes and wore no expression.   
It was really strange. They were seemingly both in a trance,   
unable to look away.  
"Harry, it's starting!" Hermione nudged him.  
He snapped back into reality.   
"Alexander, James!" A little fat boy with a crazy mess of curly  
blond hair rushed up to the stool and knocked it over in his   
excitement.  
"Are they sure his name's not Longbottom?" Ron muttered.  
Hermione and Harry pressed their hands to their mouths to stop from   
bursting out laughing. The little boy did seem remarkably like their  
friend, Neville Longbottom. But unlike Neville, he was made a:  
"HUFFLEPUFF!!"  
They all watched with amusement as he stumbled over his robes and   
nearly toppled off his chair at the Hufflepuff table.  
Hermione was turning red from holding in her laughter and finally   
let out a strangled sort of sneeze that wasn't very good cover.   
This made Ron and Harry laugh, but Harry suddenly grew quiet when   
a little later, he heard Professor McGongall called out:  
"Hartsook, Christine!"  
She walked up to the stool with a quiet sort of grace and placed the  
hat atop her impressive head of shiny black hair. The hat seemed   
to be thinking for awhile, and after awhile the hat announced:  
"GRYFFINDOR!!"  
Harry clapped with the rest of his house but noticed her eyes were   
once again locked on his. She sat a few chairs down from them,   
a small smile on her face.  
"Harry, what' s up with you? Do you know her from somewhere?"  
Ron asked, looking a bit bewildered at Harry's odd behavior.  
"No, I've never seen her before in my life." Harry said dully.  
Just as the threesome grew quiet, a large amount of delicious food   
appeared on their plates. Hermione looked at it sadly for a moment,   
and then with a sigh of resignation, started eating.  
"Given up on S.P.E.W., have you?" Harry asked.  
Hermione's mouth was absolutely stuffed with roast chicken which   
she swallowed with a large gulp.  
"No, of course not. I still think it's terrible the way they're   
being treated, but I'm not going to end it alone," she looked rather   
pointedly at both of them, "and without some support, I'll never be   
able to change anything. Maybe I can talk to Dumbledore or something."  
Hermione continued to absolutely stuff herself with food.  
Dumbledore stood up at that moment.  
"Please, students of Hogwarts, take a quick moment from this delicious   
feast for the beginning of the year announcements. I'm very pleased to   
announce that Quidditch is back this year," there was a thunderous   
round of applause, "and Gryffindor is in need of a new Keeper and   
Hufflepuff is in need of a new Seeker. If you feel that you are   
qualified, please contact Professor McGongall or Professor Sprout."   
The hall fell strangely silent. Cedric's absence seemed to cause all   
the Hufflepuff's to lose their appetites. "But, on a different note,   
it gives me great pleasure to present Miss Fleur Delacour as the The   
Care of Magical Creatures assistant." Fleur tossed her sheet of   
silvery hair over one shoulder and gave a small wave. The male   
portion of Hogwarts seemed especially pleased with this announcement.   
" Also, Professor Avery as the Advanced Astronomy teacher. And   
returning to his position as Defense Against the Dark Arts,   
Professor Lupin!" All of Hogwarts, except the Slytherins,   
leaped to their feet with thunderous applause. At that moment,   
Professor Lupin entered into the Great Hall, with a sort of an   
embarrassed but happy wave.  
Harry, Ron and Hermione were practically screaming themselves  
hoarse.   
"I can't believe it!!" Harry shouted to them, feeling happier than   
he had the whole summer.  
"I wonder if he figured out how to take care of his...problem?"   
Hermione whispered to both of them.  
"Wonder what Snape thinks!!" Ron yelled, excitedly   
scanning the teacher's table.  
"Where is he?" Harry asked them, bewildered.  
But Snape wasn't there. In his usual seat was a middle-aged man   
with blond-gray hair and small hazel eyes. He looked nice enough,   
but completely unfamiliar.  
"And replacing Professor Snape as the Potions teacher, Professor   
Capstone!" The man gave a very short wave.  
This was the best news they could have ever imagined. Harry, Ron and  
Hermione were practically delirious with happiness.  
"Dig in everyone and here's to a wonderful year!!" Dumbledore wore   
an expression of great happiness and his eyes were twinkling as he   
drank deeply from his goblet.  
"Here, here!" The three chorused, banging their goblets together   
so forcefully that iced pumpkin juice sloshed over the sides.  
As soon as they finished, they leaped up from their seats to go   
see Lupin.   
Harry got there first and was greeted with a very warm hug.   
"Why'd you come back?!" Harry asked, smiling so hard it hurt.  
"Dumbledore and I decided that I could keep my situation under   
my control. I'll just have to be much more cautious and miss   
the two days before and after the full moon, just for safety's sake."  
"That's so wonderful!" Hermione's cheeks were flushed pink with   
happiness.  
They told all told Lupin good-bye and headed off to the Gryffindor  
tower. It was so great to be back, telling the Fat Lady the   
password (Star Dust) and entering the common room.  
"Hey, Hermione, just out of curiosity, why aren't you a prefect   
this year?" Ron asked as she started off for the girl's tower.  
"I don't know. They sent me a notice with my beginning of the   
year letter. I thought it over, and well, with all of our,   
er, activities, I didn't think it was the best plan.   
Besides, I need to start studying for the O.W.L.'s as soon as   
possible and don't need any distractions." She said matter of factly.  
Ron looked at her with a bemused expression.  
"Nice to know some people never change." He laughed.  
They all said good-night and as Harry entered the familiar dorm   
with the four-poster beds, his heart swelled with happiness.   
There was a large sign reading Fifth Years. He was back where   
he belonged. And as Dean, Seamus, Neville and Ron all nodded off,   
Harry sat awake in his bed, thinking about what a great year this   
was going to be.  
The next morning, Harry still felt excited. He had the Quidditch   
meeting today and the start of all his classes. Today was Care   
of Magical Creatures with the Slytherins, Potions with Hufflepuffs   
and Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Ravenclaws. It was going  
to be a great day, he just knew it. Practically leaping out of bed,  
he put on his robes and hat and walked down to the common room with   
Ron.   
Hermione and Ginny were sitting on one of the couches, giggling about  
something. They looked up at Harry and Ron with big smiles. Ginny   
had grown about a foot over the summer, and was actually getting   
quite pretty.   
Hermione fell into step with Ron and Harry and they set off for the   
Great Hall. They settled down for breakfast, and just as they began   
talking about what Professor Capstone must be like, the owls came   
swooping in. A beautiful tawny owl landed right in front of Hermione.   
A big smile crossed her face as she ripped it open and turned away   
from Ron and Harry.  
"Who's that from?" Harry asked.  
"Viktor. He wants to meet up in Hogsmeade the first weekend we go.   
Apparently, the whole Bulgarian Quidditch team is in England for   
publicity and I had told him that we were going to Hogsmeade that  
same weekend. So it all worked out, and I'll write him a reply as   
soon as I can get up to the common room." She said this all very   
fast and excited.  
Ron suddenly became very interested in his bacon and eggs omelet.  
Harry saw Hedwig coming in with a letter from Sirius and opened it   
hurriedly. Ron was distracted by this and forgot about Viktor's letter.  
  
Harry-  
Be sure to keep me informed on anything interesting happening in   
Hogwarts. I'm still hiding out, but the school owls will know where   
to find me. I hope your summer hasn't been too hard with the present   
situation. Give Ron and Hermione all my best. Keep me informed about   
anything unusual.  
-Sirius  
  
"Well, you can tell him that Snape's gone. He'd get a kick out of   
that." Ron laughed.  
"Write him tonight after your team's decided on their new Keeper.   
He loves Quidditch, I'm sure he'd be interested." Hermione suggested,  
tucking her letter into her bag.  
"Oh, yeah. I wonder if anyone's going to show up." Harry was pondering  
this when the first bell rang out from the bell tower.  
"Time for Care of Magical Creatures." Ron announced, looking at his   
schedule.  
"And no more of that Divination nonsense, Ron. I'm so glad someone's   
finally taking Muggle Studies with me."  
"Well, after you nagged me about it in every letter you wrote the   
entire summer, how could I say no?" Ron laughed.  
"You sure you don't mind taking Advanced Astronomy alone, Harry?"   
Hermione asked.  
"No, it's alright." Harry was saying, when all of sudden, Neville   
was at their side.  
"You won't be taking it alone, Harry, I'm taking it too!!"   
Neville gasped, grinning widely.  
"That's great, Neville. I'll see you there." Neville told them to   
go ahead after he accidentally spilled all his books from his bag.  
Harry was very relieved he had dropped Divination. He was getting   
sick of his death being predicted whenever he set foot into that   
terribly hot, perfumed classroom.  
They reached Hagrid's cabin. Fleur was dashing in and out, apparently  
making preparations. Hagrid came out, looking extremely excited.   
The Slytherins were all ambling up, looking just as unpleasant as   
ever. Everyone sat down on the grassy hill in front of the cabin,   
Parvati and Lavender anxiously whispering about how much they hoped   
they would get to see the unicorns again.  
Finally, after about five minutes of waiting, and loads of complaints   
from the Slytherins, Hagrid and Fleur marched out of the cabin together  
each holding a bowler hat.  
Everyone looked at them puzzled.  
"'Ello, everyone! Welcome to Care of Magical Creatures." Hagrid was   
beaming with anticipation.  
"For ze first few months at Hogwarts, you will be working with a   
partner on a very special project zat Hagrid and I have prepared."   
Fleur also looked excited.   
"Fleur has the names of all the Slytherins, and I've got the   
Gryffindors. When we call yer name, go sit with your partner,   
and than you'll get to see what we're gonna be working on this year."   
Hagrid motioned at Fleur to begin.  
Fleur reached into the hat and pulled out a slip of paper.  
"Draco Malfoy." She read aloud, scanning the crowd for him.  
He put a hand in the air reluctantly.  
Hagrid reached inside his hat. Harry had every finger crossed, eyes   
shut, hoping against hope Hagrid wouldn't say his name. Hagrid   
glanced at the slip with a look of pity. Oh no! Harry thought.   
"Hermione Granger."   
Hermione's jaw dropped. She hadn't really been listening.   
Hagrid looked very sorry to have to announce this to her.   
Draco rolled his eyes and said something under his breath that made   
Pansy laugh quietly.  
"Well, then, go sit with each other over thar." Hagrid motioned   
toward an empty bit of land.  
Staring at each other with looks of utter loathing, they sat as far  
away from each other as possible.  
Fleur and Hagrid proceeded through the Gryffindors and Slytherins.   
Lavender and Goyle were paired up, and Parvati gave her friend a   
look of great pity. Ron and Vincent Crabbe were put together, and   
Ron let out a quiet moan.  
"Great, I'll have to do all the work." He muttered, reluctantly   
joining Crabbe in the now crowded field.  
Harry and Pansy were the only people left.  
"You're kidding me. No way." She said very loudly to Hagrid when he   
told them they were a group.  
Harry didn't really feel the need to say anything. It was just one   
class after all, and maybe they'd get something really fun to do.   
"Right then, now that you all have your partners-"  
Draco snorted. Hermione's eyes narrowed dangerously.  
"Now it's time to receive ze assignment." Fleur watched as Hagrid   
brought out several large boxes.  
"Not skrewts!!" Parvati called out, terrified.  
"No, not skrewts, Parvati. Nah, me and Fleur have a very special   
treat for all of you this year." Hagrid opened a box to reveal   
several large eggs.  
Ron looked at Harry quickly. Surely, Hagrid hadn't...  
"Drazards!!" Fleur said, excited, picking up one the light blue eggs.  
Hagrid had a wide smile on his face. Everyone else stared up at them   
blankly.  
"It's a half-breed between the Swedish Short Snout and a common  
lizard. Just discovered 'em this summer. Only grow to about four feet  
tall. You and yer partner will raise 'em, feed 'em, and we'll see   
how they turn out!"  
A rush of excited whispers spread through the group. Pansy and   
Harry sat silently. Draco said something under his breath to Hermione   
that made her clench her hands into fists and hiss something back.   
Crabbe looked at Ron stupidly.  
"What...?" He asked blankly.  
"Don't worry about it, Crabbe." Ron said, rolling his eyes when   
he looked back at Harry.   
Harry smiled.  
"This is so stupid." Pansy finally muttered.  
"No, it isn't." Harry said angrily back.  
Pansy got quiet again. Fleur and Hagrid were handing out the eggs   
to everyone, and excited squeals of "I can feel it moving!" and   
"What a gorgeous egg!" rippled through the crowd.  
Harry and Pansy's egg was huge, the biggest one they had.   
Hagrid gave Harry a big wink as he handed it to him. Harry smiled   
weakly back. Did Hagrid think his experience with dragons would make   
him do better on this assignment?  
"MINE'S HATCHING!!" The Slytherin girl paired with Neville shrieked.  
  
  
All right, that's all you're getting for now. R/H, H/G stuff to come,  
but I'm trying to write this like the fifth book, so it's not  
entirely a romance. If I get good reviews, I'll keep posting it. And  
trust me, there's alot more exciting things to come. 


	2. Default Chapter Title

Sure enough, many of the eggs were slowly cracking open. Harry watched   
it anxious, and even Pansy didn't conceal her excitement.  
"Draco, let me hold it! You're going kill it!" Hermione was yelling,   
frustrated as Draco squeezed it tightly.  
Harry watched as a little blue head with big black eyes came slowly   
out. The drazard was downright cute.  
"He's so tiny." Pansy cooed, and then caught herself, and kept her   
stoic expression.  
Harry watched as it came out, and helped it pull the egg remnants   
off its scaley blue skin.   
"What do you think, Harry?" Hagrid asked, grinning widely under his   
bushy beard.  
"I like them." Harry said, unable to stop smiling as it looked up at   
him and blinked.  
"Great!! Well, you and Pansy think of a name for him, and then-"  
"We're not naming him that!!" Hermione looked appalled as Draco smiled  
mischievously.  
"Hold on then…" Hagrid dashed off to Neville who had dropped his very  
puny egg and looked very upset. His partner was practically in tears.  
"Well, what do you want to name him?" Harry asked Pansy.  
"Little Pansy." She suggested, looking lovingly at the adorable   
drazard. This was very odd to watch.  
"No! He's not a girl!"  
"How do you know?" Pansy raised her eyebrows defiantly.  
"He…he just isn't, okay? Let's name him Firebolt!" Harry knew that was  
kind of cheesy, but it seemed fitting since he had defeated a dragon   
on his Firebolt, the best broom in the world, last year.  
Pansy rolled her eyes.  
"Got any better ideas?" He challenged.  
"Fine, fine. Firebolt it is. That's still really stupid, though."  
Harry looked at the little drazard who was yawning widely. A little   
flicker of fire came out his very tiny mouth.  
"Firebolt…" Harry murmured, putting the drazard in his palm.  
It curled up and fell right asleep. Harry really liked the drazards,   
and Pansy wasn't so bad. He looked over at Hermione and felt really  
sorry for her. Ron and Crabbe seemed to be getting along just fine.   
Ron was slowly saying, "What…do…you…want….to….name…him?" Crabbe just   
smiled and grunted stupidly.  
As Harry was watching the drazard's stomach rise and fall as it slept,  
the bell rang that signaled the end of class. Fleur and Hagrid collected   
the drazards and put them back in their boxes on little pillows Fleur   
had summoned up. Pansy hurried off to join Draco, and Ron and Hermione   
walked over to Harry. Hermione was fuming.  
"Honestly! Of all the rotten coincidences, I get stuck with Draco   
Malfoy! I swear he's going to kill that thing and we're both going to   
fail! And besides, I kind of like them!"   
It was time for their first Potions lesson with the Hufflepuffs. They   
all came into class, anxious to see what Professor Capstone would be   
like.  
He was sitting at his desk, scribbling something furiously down on a   
piece of paper. When students started to enter, he looked up and   
stuffed it into a drawer.   
"Welcome everyone to Potions! You lot are the fifth years, right?"  
"Yes." A few people chorused.  
"All right, everyone please take your seats. I'm Professor Capstone   
by the way, for those of you who don't remember. I believe we'll start  
on a fairly complicated potion today that cures most common stomaches."   
He handed out the ingredients and told them to turn to page 14 in   
their Potions textbook.  
It showed instructions that nearly took up the entire page (and in   
very small print). Neville groaned, staring despairingly at Dean and  
Seamus, who were sitting with him.   
Hermione looked excited.  
"Finally, something that actually requires a little work!!" She said,   
her eyes sparkling.  
"You're happy about this?" Ron looked incredulous.  
Harry looked over the list himself. This looked really hard. Best to  
leave these things up to Hermione.  
He looked over at her. She was already happily cutting up their frog   
liver. Ron, with a huge sigh, got to work on heating up the water in   
the cauldron. Harry started sorting the fish eggs into little groups  
of ten. Only thirty were needed for this potion.  
Professor Capstone was working furiously on whatever he had been   
writing down when they came in.   
"What do you suppose he's doing?" Ron asked Harry quietly as he   
dropped in shredded mandrake leaves.  
Harry was quite keen to find this out himself. Pretending to knock   
over their vial of lizard blood, he acted shocked and hurried to put   
it right side up. Hearing the tinkering of glass hitting the table,   
Neville quickly looked down to see what he had knocked over. When he   
saw it was Harry, a big relieved smile spread across his face.  
Harry took the vial and walked quietly up to Professor Capstone's   
desk. The paper was covered with an almost unintelligible mess of   
writing.  
"Can I help you, er…" Professor Capstone had no idea what his name was.  
"Harry Potter." Harry said somewhat reluctantly. He watched the   
Professor's eyes perform the familiar flick up to his forehead.  
"What a pleasure!" Capstone looked very excited at the realization of  
who was standing in front of him.  
"I was just wondering if we could have a bit more lizard blood. I   
spilled a little bit of ours."  
"Oh, but of course, Mr. Potter. Just a moment." Capstone still looked   
extremely enthused.  
After giving him a touch more of lizard blood, Harry returned to his   
seat.  
"What was he writing?" Ron muttered, measuring out their crocodile   
scales.  
Hermione was listening too as she mixed everything together perfectly.  
"I have no idea. I couldn't read it, it just looked like a lot of   
scribbling." He replied quietly.  
Ron added the crocodile scales, and Hermione got to stirring. A   
wide smile crossed her face as it turned the desired purple and let   
off a cloud of smoke. Professor Capstone looked up.  
"Well done you three! You completed that in about five minutes, and   
were the first today to do so, so five points to Gryffindor!"   
Hermione beamed at them. Harry and Ron were pleased as well. Neither   
could remember a time when, in Potions, Snape had given points to   
Gryffindor rather than taken them away.  
The class came to an end just as most groups completed the potion.   
Neville, Seamus and Dean's had turned a sickening green.  
"Neville, did you put in the lizard blood before the crocodile scales?" Dean asked, frustarated.  
Looking at his feet, Neville shook his head.   
Harry felt a slight twinge of pity. He had just discovered last year   
about Neville's parents. They were both locked up in an insane asylum   
after being tortured by Voldemort. They didn't even recognize their   
son and he had to live with his very strict grandmother.  
"Yes! Defense Against the Dark Arts!" Ron looked thrilled as they   
headed for the classroom.  
Harry's heart leapt as he walked in and saw Professor Lupin sitting at  
his desk, smiling widely. The Ravenclaws were walking in, talking   
amongst themselves. Harry recognized a few of them. Padma Patil smiled   
sweetly at Ron as she walked in and Ron got pink around the ears again.  
Hermione rolled her eyes.  
He saw a boy named Terry Boot who he had talked to a few times and a   
girl named Mandy Brocklehurst who was joining the Ravenclaw Quidditch   
team as their new Chaser. (One of their Chasers had quit just last   
night, Fred had told him at breakfast) Mandy was very pretty and Ron   
was watching her intently from his desk. Hermione was getting extremely  
agitated.  
They all sat down at a desk in the very front. Professor Lupin got up,  
holding a stack of papers.  
" Now most of you will find this assignment exciting, a little   
dangerous perhaps. But you are fifth years now and more is expected   
of you."  
The whole class was silent with anticipation.  
"Once you pair yourselves up," there was a scuffling of chairs as   
everyone moved around. Hermione scooted over to Neville's table and   
Ron pushed his chair to the other side of the table so that he and   
Harry were facing each other, "I'll give one of you a list of ten   
curses. None fatal or too harmful, of course. You can split up the  
list however you'd like. But basically, the one who performs the   
curse will look up the countercurse in their Defense Against the   
Dark Arts textbook and fix your partner up. Countercurses are very   
important and will make up a large part of your O.W.L.'s this year.   
Also, if you find the countercurse is not effective, I'll be happy   
to help you straighten things out."  
Ron and Harry looked at each other, excited. This was going to be   
fun! Harry glanced over at Hermione. She had turned slightly green.   
After having a run-in with a curse that caused her front teeth to   
grow past her chin last year, she was a little wary of them.   
Especially with Neville as a partner.  
Lupin was handing out the lists to each of the pairs. Ron and Harry   
scanned their list.   
"You want to go first?" Ron asked Harry.  
"Sure." Harry picked up his wand and read out the first curse.  
"Blindus Totalis!" Harry called out, watching Ron anxiously.  
To his horror, Ron's eyes went completely white.  
"Harry, I can't see anything!" He said in a panicked voice.  
Harry was flipping through his book to the section on countercurses.  
He scanned the long list, finally coming to the one he wanted.  
"Here it is, Ron. Blindus Totalis. And the countercurse is- Oponus!"  
Ron's pupils returned and he let a long, low whistle.  
"Wow, Harry that was really…weird."  
"Your turn." Harry said, his voice shaking a little bit.  
But really, the rest of the curses weren't near as bad. Some were  
sort of funny: Ron growing donkey ears, Harry unable to stop   
muttering gibberish until the countercurse was performed. They were  
both laughing until tears were streaming down their faces by the end   
of class.  
Hermione performed all her curses and countercurses perfectly. Neville  
didn't have such a good time at it. By the end of class, Hermione   
was as blind as a bat and had webbed hands. Neville was looking at   
the list, confused.  
Professor Lupin hurried over to a distressed Hermione and fixed her  
up. Neville was looking depressed. He wasn't having a very good day.  
As the end of class bell rang, Hermione hurried over, rubbing her eyes.  
"Wasn't that weird?" Ron asked her.  
She nodded, still looking a bit shaken.  
Harry hurried through his dinner. It was almost time for the Quidditch  
meeting. Quickly saying good-bye, he hurried out the doors of the   
Great Hall and headed for the Quidditch field. He had finally gotten   
a new watch for his birthday from Hermione. It was 5:51.  
He felt a little uneasy as he walked across the slowly darkening   
ground by himself. Voldemort has spies everywhere….he thought to   
himself, his arm getting goose bumps. Walking much faster, he arrived  
at the field in the next few minutes. Angelina, Alicia and Katie   
were already there and Fred and George were just coming towards the   
field.   
It was so great to be with the team again. They all had brooms in   
hand for a quick practice after they elected a new captain.  
"Professor McGongall said a few people said they were interested in  
playing Keeper. She told them to show up tonight so we could see how   
well they do. Most of them probably won't show up, though. The Keeper's  
one of the most important players, but there's not as much glory in   
it then if you were, say, the Seeker." Fred grinned at Harry as he   
finished.  
6:00 came and went. No one had showed up. Just as they were about to   
start taking ballots for captain instead, they heard quiet footsteps   
approaching. Everyone turned to see a very tall girl approaching.  
It was Christine. Her long dark hair was in a ponytail on top of her  
head. She was holding a broom tightly in one hand and had a wide,   
nervous smile on her face.  
"Hello, there!" George called, excited to see that someone had come.  
"Hello, I'm Christine Hartsook. I know I'm just a first year, but I'm   
pretty good and I'd like to have a try at it, at least."  
Suddenly, Harry realized what broom she was holding. A Firebolt.   
Everyone else seemed to notice this at about the same time.  
"A Firebolt!! Blimey, two on one team!! We'd be practically   
unbeatable!" Fred yelled, clapping Christine hard on the back.  
"Wait a second, Fred. We've got to see how you play, of course. Here,  
Angelina, Katie, take the Quaffle and we'll see how many we can get  
past her." Alicia said, handing Angelina the large red ball.  
Harry watched the color drain from Christine's face. He thought that   
was a little rude of Alicia. He would have been horrified if three   
sixth years had played against him in his very first practice.  
But she had a determined look on her face, and mounted her newly   
polished broom. Shooting expertly into the air, she spun around in an   
upward spiral and ended up right in front of the goal post.  
The three Chasers also mounted their brooms and, Angelina with the   
Quaffle in hand, shot up into the air. Harry was really, really   
hoping she'd do all right.   
Angelina did a tricky pass to Katie who sent it flying fast as a   
bullet towards the goal post. Christine had been watching carefully   
and reacted at the exact right moment, catching the Quaffle with one   
hand.  
Fred and George clapped loudly. Harry mounted his broom so he could  
see better and shot about forty feet in the air. Harry could see   
that Christine was very pleased with herself. She grinned broadly   
at him, tossing the Quaffle back to the Chasers. Christine continued to block ten consecutive, very difficultly thrown Quaffles.  
Everyone came back to the ground, Christine flushed and sweaty, but   
very happy.  
"Well, looks like we've got a new Keeper, everyone!" George looked   
thrilled to have found such a good player so quickly.  
Harry, Fred and the three Chasers had no objections.  
"How do you know how to play so well?" Angelina asked, amazed.  
"Well, I've kind of grown up on my broomstick, if you know what   
I mean. We lived out in the country, so no Muggles could ever see me  
practicing ever since I could get up on one. My dad taught me the  
rules when I was old enough to understand them, and I've gone to   
every World Cup since I was five years old."  
"Wow." Katie looked impressed.  
"That's ruddy good and all, but we still have a captain to elect!"  
George cut in.  
"Any nominations?" Alicia asked.  
"I nominate Angelina." Fred said, grinning at her.   
She smiled sweetly back, looking a little embarrassed.  
"Here, here!" Alicia chimed in.  
"All here who want Angelina as your Gryffindor Quidditch captain,  
raise your hands." Fred said, putting his own hand in the air.  
Harry put his hand up as well. He had always liked Angelina, she was   
very nice, very good at Quidditch and very organized. Alicia and   
Katie didn't look angry at all, they both confidently rose their hands.  
George rose his hand also, and everyone turned to look at Christine.   
She shrugged, raising her hand. Angelina now looked very embarrassed   
but also very happy.  
"May we present our new Quidditch captain-Miss Angelina Johnson!" Fred   
said dramatically and clapping harder than anyone when she stood up.  
After that, everyone else had a quick practice. The new team member   
and captain seemed to recapture everyone's passion for playing. Harry  
caught the Snitch within a matter of minutes, Fred and George hurled   
the Bludgers straight at their targets (the other team's goalposts),   
and Christine never let the Quaffle pass her. Angelina kept barking   
instructions at everyone, seemingly enjoying her new role very much.   
Katie and Alicia were practicing a very complicated behind the back   
pass and got it down just as it was getting too dark to practice any   
longer.Everyone landed back on the ground and walked back up to the   
Gryffindor common room together. The three Chasers were giggling about  
something Katie whispered to them as they walked in front. Fred and   
George were talking about how Gryffindor still had the "best ruddy   
team in the school" and Christine and Harry walked behind everyone   
else.  
They were eagerly discussing how wonderful it was to ride a Firebolt.  
"How'd you get yours?" Harry asked her.  
She fell silent.  
"Er…it was a gift." Her whole face was strangely pale, and he decided   
to change the subject.  
"How do you like Hogwarts so far?" He asked.  
"Oh, I love it. I had heard so much about Professor Snape, so glad to   
see he's not joining us this year. I was also really hoping I'd be in  
Gryffindor; I was so nervous about being sorted. But it's just that…"  
She stopped suddenly.  
"What?" Harry asked her.  
"It's just that my mother died when I was so young and I never   
even knew my father. And I know she was in Gryffindor, and I just   
really wanted to be in the same house as her, you know. I didn't even   
really know her either." Christine's voice broke and her dark eyes  
filled with tears.  
Harry stared at her, shocked.  
"I don't know why I told you that." She said, looking down at her feet,  
her face red.  
"No, it's just, you know, my parents died when I was a really little,  
too."Her face suddenly presented an expression Harry couldn't quite  
read.  
"Oh, well, Harry, we mustn't dwell on the past." Christine said in  
an abnormally high-pitched voice.  
They stepped through the portrait hole after telling the Fat Lady  
the password. Standing in the deserted common room, neither quite  
sure what to say, was extremely awkward.  
"Christine, is there something you want to tell me?" Harry asked,   
still trying to figure out the odd expression on her face.  
"No...nothing." Christine's eyes welled up with tears, and she   
hurriedly brushed them off her face, dashing up to the girl's  
dormitory.  
Harry stood alone, dumbfounded. Finally, he headed up to his room.   
Ron was still awake, sitting cross-legged on his bed.  
"So, what happened? Who's your new Keeper?" Ron excited face fell   
when he saw Harry's expression.  
"What's wrong?" Ron looked concerned.  
"Christine Hartsook is our new Keeper and Angelina's our captain."   
Harry mumbled, pulling on his pajamas.  
"Christine Hartsook…you mean that girl from the Sorting?" Ron asked,   
wide-eyed.  
"Yeah." Harry fell into bed, very confused.  
"Harry, what's wrong?" He asked again, more firmly.  
"I'm going to bed." Harry said into his pillow, pulling the curtain  
shut around his bed.  
He was left in semi-darkness. Thoughts were racing through his mind,   
making his head hurt. He could've done with Dumbledore's Pensieve   
about now. Feeling confused and exhausted, he wearily shut his eyes   
and drifted off into a fitful sleep.  
*************************************************************************  
It was a very dark, long forgotten house. No one had lived there for  
thirteen years. But now, past the overgrown weeds and cracked windows,  
someone was there. Two people, in fact. Two people and a snake.   
"How can we still not have gotten to him?" One man banged his fist   
down on the table, spinning his chair around.  
Pettigrew had been serving Lord Voldemort for months now, but the   
sight of his face still frightened him. The pale skin, the red snake   
eyes, and the evil smile. Voldemort had been growing stronger all   
summer.  
"Killing the Mudbloods is losing its appeal, Peter. I will never be   
satisfied until his blood is on my hands! How can we not have gotten  
to him?" That horrible, cold voice echoed cruelly throught the room.  
"I am sorry, master, I have been looking! You know I have sent the   
Death Eaters everywhere! And I'm sure we will have him in no time!  
No time at all!" Peter was babbling stupidly.   
"Silence, you fool! Leave me! There is much to be done, many more   
deaths before Harry Potter is mine. But, mark my words, if you destroy  
my plan, if you make one mistake, your services will be-" Voldemort   
clasped his hands, smiling maliciously, "terminated."  
***********************************************************************  
  
Dun, dun, DAAA! That Voldemort, he's always up to no good. So, has   
anyone figured out how Christine is? No, she's not just some random   
character, it actually makes sense, but I don't think you have  
enough information to guess right yet. The next part is one the  
way is this part gets a few good reviews. Lots of hinted at H/G in  
the next part, so if you're interested, give me some good reviews!   
And also--a Quidditch match coming up! I tried to write it like it  
is in the books, just with a very exciting twist at the end. All of  
this and more coming up. Review this and tell me what you think and  
if I should keep posting! Thanks to everybody who reviewed Part One,  
you rock. Thanks for reading this, now go review! Ciao, everyone! 


	3. Default Chapter Title

I'm back! Here's the third part with the promised Quidditch match and some other stuff.   
Sorry about not much romance, I am really trying to write this in J.K.'s style, and really   
overt romance doesn't really seem like her style. But there is some H/G in this and some R/H  
tension. There. Happy? j/k Coming up: Harry sneaks up to Dumbledore's office and  
finds out something and then gets caught by Dumbledore himself. Also, a very  
interesting part with Cho in the next part. But ya gotta review if ya want  
to read it!  
  
The next morning, Harry woke up very late. Ron had left a note for him.  
  
Harry-  
I tried to wake you up. I think you were having some sort of bad dream or something. You told   
me to just go on down to breakfast without you, so I did. That's where Hermione and I are.  
  
Harry put a hand on his scar. It felt very warm, and was aching. In his head, he kept seeing images.   
He had had a dream. But what had happened? He kept seeing images of someone, something… Squeezing   
his eyes shut, he remembered-  
"There is much to be done, many more deaths, before Harry Potter is mine."  
"…I have sent the Death Eaters everywhere!"   
The dream was slowly coming back to him. His scar was now burning. Harry needed to tell Ron and   
Hermione, needed to be around people and noise. The silence was causing horrible thoughts to fill his mind.  
Leaping up and getting dressed, he dashed down to the Great Hall. It was practically empty.  
Ron and Hermione were still there, discussing something worriedly. Hermione saw him, and raced over.  
"Harry, are you all right? Ron said he'd tried to wake you up, but you kept saying all these strange things under your breath and about how strangely you acted last night, and-"  
"Hermione, we need to talk. All of us." Harry led her over to the Gryffindor table.  
He proceeded to tell both of them everything about his dream but nothing about Christine. For some reason, he felt that was something he needed to figure out on his own.  
"Muggle-borns, Hermione. He might very well be coming after you next." Ron looked extremely concerned.  
Hermione's face lost all color. She put her hands over her mouth and took in a deep breath, apparently taking all this in.  
"I don't think any of us should go to Hogsmeade next weekend." Ron said firmly.  
"I'm meeting Krum, I've got to go." Hermione replied, still thinking.  
"Hermione, your life might be at stake here! I think that's a little more important than meeting up with your…your…"  
"Honestly, Ron, he's come all the way here from Bulgaria. I can't just not show up. I can take care of myself. You and Harry stay here, and I'll go."  
Harry looked up at Ron.  
"Ron, you go, I'll see you when you come back. I'm used to it, I'll be fine."  
"Are you sure?"   
"Yes. You don't have to stay here to protect me. Lupin's here, remember? And Dumbledore. Nothing's going to happen to me."  
"All right. It's next weekend, right, Hermione?"  
"Right. We'd better hurry if we plan on making it to Transfiguration." She leaped up from her seat and slung her book bag over one shoulder, walking up ahead of them.  
"Harry, what was up with you after the Quidditch meeting? Did something happen?"  
"Ron, I'm fine." Harry said quickly.  
Hermione suddenly spun around.  
"Have you written to Snuffles, Harry? You need to tell him all this."  
"No, I haven't. But I will as soon as we get back up to the common room. If anyone will know what to do, it'd be Snuffles."  
Professor McGongall had given them an extraordinary amount of homework.  
"On our first day of Transfiguration, she gives us enough to last the whole year!" Ron groaned, looking at the assignment again.  
"She's just trying to prepare us for the O.W.L.'s." Hermione said sensibly.  
"Already? They can't be that hard." Harry chimed in.  
"Actually, they're extremely difficult. According to Hogwarts, a History-"  
"Fred and George didn't study a lick for them Harry, and got six apiece. They can't be that difficult." Ron assured him as they headed for Charms class.  
They entered the classroom to find tiny Professor Flitwick shuffling through his notes. As students started to come in, he smiled at them from atop the three books he was poised on to see over his desk.  
"Good morning class!" He squeaked as the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors seated themselves.  
"Today we will be a learning a charm that can actually slow down something before it hits the ground. For example-"  
Flitwick pointed his wand at a paperweight on his desk. He lifted it into the air, where it hovered, shaking slightly. And then it began to fall. But an instant before it hit the ground, he bellowed-  
"Slodonus!"  
And it began to fall as if slow motion, hitting the ground with only a quiet thump.   
"Cool!" Dean said, obviously impressed.  
Flitwick grinned at him, handing out poufs to everyone.  
"Now I want everyone to repeat after me- Slodonus!!"  
"Slodonus!" The class repeated.  
"Very good! Now everyone- throw your pouf into the air and try to perform the charm before it hits the ground. Don't become frustrated if you can't complete it at first. This is a complicated charm that everyone seems to have trouble with. I'll be coming around to help anyone who needs it. And class," he glanced quickly at Neville, "make sure you aim your wand only at your pouf."  
Harry pulled out his wand, and held the pouf in one hand. Squinting his eyes with concentration, he threw the pouf very high into the air. Aiming carefully, he said-  
"Slodonus!"  
And to his astonishment, the pouf slowed down and hit the ground slowly.  
"Very good, Harry! Very good indeed!" Flitwick looked astonished.  
Everyone else, even Hermione, was failing miserably. But Harry consistently slowed down his poufs on each try. Ron, frustrated, misaimed his wand and sent Professor Flitwick soaring into the air(which seemed to happen a lot) and plummeting towards the ground. Harry reacted quickly.  
"Slodonus!" Professor Flitwick landed, cross-legged and unharmed on the ground.  
"Well done, Mr. Potter! Even very advanced wizards have trouble using this charm on living beings! Twenty points to Gryffindor!"   
Harry grinned. It was fun being the best at something without even trying that hard. Hermione was scowling. She still couldn't get it down. Ron still was slightly pale from nearly killing a teacher, and was holding his wand shakily. Sitting down, he abandoned pouf throwing for the rest of the class.  
Suddenly, Angelina Johnson poked her head in.  
"Professor Flitwick, I need to see Harry Potter." She asked him, looking a little flustered.  
"Oh, of course, Angelina. Mr. Weasley, could you get the assignment at the end of class for Harry?"  
"Sure." Ron replied, looking slightly put out.  
Harry grabbed his book bag, whispered good-bye to his friends, and hurried after Angelina.  
She led him down to a classroom where Fred, George, Katie, Alicia and Christine were already seated. Christine instantly averted her eyes.  
Angelina looked at her team with a deep sigh.  
"All right everyone, the game against Ravenclaw has been scheduled to Thursday of next week. I know we've never had them this early, but apparently they wanted to get the season going early this year. And we've hardly practiced at all. I know we have a very talented team, but so does Ravenclaw. There's practice tonight and I'll inform you of others. Be prepared to work hard tonight everyone-no slacking off. Ravenclaw has never defeated us-well except when we were without a Seeker-but let's not let them start now."   
Fred clapped loudly and the rest of the team joined in.  
"All right everyone, see you at 5:00 sharp."   
Everyone grabbed their bags and set off for the Gryffindor common room. Their classes would be practically over now, so they thought they would just head up.   
"I've got to write Sirius." Harry said to himself, his mind returning to his dream and a cold chill covering his body.  
"Sirius Black?" Christine had heard him, and was looking at him with disbelief as they entered the common room.  
Harry's heart missed a beat. How could he have been so stupid? Only he, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore and Lupin knew Sirius was innocent. To the rest of the wizarding world, Sirius was still a convicted murder.   
"Er…that's not what I meant." Harry said stupidly.  
"No, it's all right." Her voice grew very quiet. "I know he's innocent too."  
"What? How-" Harry sputtered, stunned.  
"I know more than you think, Harry." She looked at him, meaningfully and then headed towards the girl's dormitory.  
Harry was left more confused than ever. How could she possibly know? Searching for a quill and some parchment, he decided to write Sirius right now. It was time to get some answers.  
Sirius-  
I'm having dreams again. This time, Peter Pettigrew was telling Voldemort that he had Death Eaters everywhere and Voldemort said there would be many more deaths before I was his, but that he wouldn't be satisfied until I was dead. And my scar's hurting again. What should I do?  
Also, the new first-year Keeper for our Quidditch team, Christine Hartsook, is acting really strange. She told me that both her mother died when she was very young and that she never knew her father. She acts like she knows me from somewhere. And also, the strangest part-she knows that you're innocent! Who is she? How does she know? Please write me back as soon as possible.  
Thanks,  
Harry  
  
Also, Angelina Johnson is our new Quidditch captain. And we're going to Hogsmeade next weekend, but I'm staying here. It seems safer with everything that's happening. And, Professor Snape's gone! We've got a new Potions teacher, Professor Capstone.   
  
Harry went down to the Owlery for a school owl. Hedwig was much too conspicuous wherever Sirius was hiding. Tying the letter to the leg of a plain brown owl, he sent it off to find Sirius. That was all he could do for now.  
It was time for lunch in the Great Hall. Harry hurried down, anxious to tell Ron and Hermione what had happened. He saw them sitting on the far corner of the Gryffindor table.  
"Christine knows about Snuffles being innocent!!" Harry whispered as he seated himself.  
Ron's eyes grew very wide and Hermione clapped a hand over her mouth.  
"How could she possibly?" She muttered to Harry.  
Harry proceeded to tell them everything that had happened. After "How could you not have told us" from Ron and a "You've got to be more careful about saying Sirius' name, Harry" from Hermione, they all grew silent with thought.  
"Harry, there's only one thing to do. Talk to Lupin about all this, he always seem to know what's going on with everything." Ron suggested.  
Deciding this would be a good idea, Harry decided to ask him over the weekend everyone else was at Hogsmeade.  
That night, Harry left Ron and Hermione for Advanced Astronomy. It was quite fun. Professor Avery was very funny and gave them very little homework, just a mildly complicated constellation chart. Neville and Harry sat together and had a good time looking for the different shapes formed by the stars with the extremely large telescopes.  
As class was ending, Professor Avery called Harry over. Waving good-bye to Neville, Harry walked up to Professor Avery's desk.  
"Harry Potter, right? The Harry Potter?" Professor Avery had a very excited glint in his eyes.  
"Yes, that's me." Harry looked at him, wondering what this was all about.  
"All right, then. Hope you enjoy Advanced Astronomy." Professor Avery grabbed his bag and left the room.  
Harry thought this was very curious. He shrugged, and went down to dinner. Hermione was explaining using telephones to Ron in further detail than the teacher of Muggle Studies had. He was listening with rapt attention, fascinated.   
"And then, when you'd like to hang up, you put the phone back on the receiver." She said slowly.  
"Wow!" Ron's eyes were very wide.  
"Did you two like Muggle Studies?" Harry asked, sitting down.  
"Oh, hello Harry. Yes, of course," Hermione said as Ron nodded energetically, "How did you like Advanced Astronomy?"  
"Oh, it was really fun. Professor Avery's great, he let us work the whole class period to finish our constellation chart."  
Harry scarfed down his dinner, and raced off to Quidditch practice. They were going to need a lot of practice if they didn't want to be beaten by Ravenclaw. The word was that their new Chaser, Mandy Brocklehurst, was very good.  
The following week's Thursday had finally come, and it was nearly time for their Quidditch match. The whole History of Magic class was very antsy. The Ravenclaws and the Gryffindors were both very excited, and didn't really feel up to sitting through one of Professor Binn's notoriously long lectures.  
Harry looked longingly out the window to the long grassy fields. It was a rather cloudy day, it looked like it was about to rain. This was alright with Harry, he'd played in what was close to a monsoon in a game   
previously.  
Hermione was tapping her foot in extreme boredom. Even she didn't feel like taking notes when the excitement for the coming game was so high. Ron was reading a dog-eared Chudley Cannons book under his desk but kept looking up at Mandy Brocklehurst dreamily. Mandy was playing with her long blond hair, looking as if she wanted to suddenly burst through the window and run out onto the field. Harry knew the feeling.  
About thirty minutes into the lecture, a light rain had begun to fall. The sound of the pounding rain was causing Harry to drift farther and farther away from what Professor Binns was saying. Finally, after what seemed like years, the bell let out a resounding toll. With a squeal of excitement, Mandy leaped up from her seat and bounded towards the door. Although Harry did not squeal with excitement, he felt dangerously close to doing so. With a quick "See you later" to Ron and Hermione, he hurried off to the dorm to grab his broom and throw on his scarlet Quidditch robes. Dashing down to the field and into the locker rooms, he found the rest of his team looking rather anxious. Christine was sitting on the bench, looking sick to her stomach.  
"You all right?" Harry sat down beside to her.  
"No…I'm so nervous, I feel like I'm going to throw up."  
"Don't worry, Christine. You'll do fine." Harry remembered exactly what he felt like before his first Quidditch match, and wanting to throw up was a pretty good description.  
The only sound in the Gryffindor locker room was the steady rain. No one really had much to say, even Fred and George. Everyone was apparently lost in their thoughts.  
Madam Hooch suddenly stepped in, soaking wet from head to foot.  
"It's time." She said curtly, stepping back into the sheets of rain.   
Harry suddenly remembered something. Whipping out his wand, he pointed it at his glasses.  
"Impervius!" He said quickly, performing a spell that would make his glasses repel water.  
Joining Christine at the back of the group, Harry noticed her legs were shaking as she clutched her Firebolt like she was holding on for dear life.  
"It's all right, you're going to be great." He practically had to yell over the rain.  
She smiled weakly at him.  
The Ravenclaws were also coming out onto the field. Cho had apparently been made captain. She led her team out onto the soaked field. Harry caught her eye, but she didn't smile or wish him luck like usual. She had a very determined look in her eyes, and stood very straight as she and Angelina faced each other.   
"All right then, captains shake hands." Madam Hooch instructed.  
Cho and Angelina grasped each others hands much more firmly than was necessary, tight smiles on both of their faces.  
"Players mount your brooms."  
Harry smiled back at Christine, who looked like she was about to cry.  
"And…GO!!!"  
All fourteen players pushed off at almost the same instant, soaring high up into the air. Lee Jordan, a friend of Fred and George's, was back in his now familiar position as announcer.  
"And they're off!! With the Ravenclaw's in early possession by the very talented new player, Miss Mandy Brocklehurst. Brocklehurst swerving quickly towards the goal and-Oh! The new Gryffindor Keeper just barely let that one by her."  
Harry looked down at Christine despairingly from his very high vantage point above the field. Cho was flying very close to him, and flashed him a triumphant smile. But Harry couldn't be distracted now. He had to find the Snitch quickly before the Ravenclaws got ahead.  
"Angelina Johnson, the newly announced Gryffindor captain, in possession, and what a Chaser! She narrowly avoids a Bludger that would've broken her nose, and she makes a behind-the-back pass to Katie (impressive!) and…it's a goal for Gryffindor!!"  
Harry looked at Cho briefly. She was glaring at him. Both Seekers focused on nothing else but seeing through the pounding rain and finding the Snitch.   
The game became very violent as the score escalated to 80-100 in Ravenclaw's favor. Cho and Harry were both now quickly soaring all around the field, Harry always just a little bit ahead. Christine was actually doing much better, from what he could tell from the small snippets of the commentary he heard. She had made two very impressive saves. (or at least that's all he knew about)  
"And Brocklehurst with the Quaffle once again. The Ravenclaw Beaters are trailing her, waiting for the always well-aimed Bludgers from Fred and George Weasley. And speaking of, Fred sends one right at Brocklehurst!! And…saved by Emilio Winters, quite a good Ravenclaw Beater. Wait!! He sends it right towards the Gryffindor Keeper!! I don't think she can see it!! OH NO!!!"  
The Bludger had hit Christine hard in the stomach. This had happened to Oliver Wood many times, but Christine was much smaller. To Harry's horror, it knocked her right off her broom. Christine was sent hurtling towards the ground at a breath-taking speed. Harry reacted before he even really knew what he was doing. Ripping out his wand, he aimed as well as he could:  
"Slodonus!!"  
Harry's Firebolt was now very close to Christine. She fell the last five feet in what seemed like slow motion. But even so, Christine hit the ground with a sickening crunch. Harry landed and leaped off his broom. She was sprawled out on the ground, motionless.   
"Christine!! Christine, can you hear me?" Her leg was sticking out at a very strange angle and Harry was afraid to touch her.  
Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore had just arrived next to Harry. Fred Weasley had landed a few feet away, holding Christine's Firebolt.  
"It's all right, Harry. She's going to be all right." Dumbledore carefully picked her up, Madam Pomfrey gingerly touching her leg.  
Harry started to follow them. Fred grabbed him by the shoulders.  
"We've still got a game to play, Harry! The rules state that a game can carry on without a Keeper!"   
Harry reluctantly leaped onto his broom, and to his surprise, saw the Snitch flying a few feet the end of Cho's broom. To throw her off track, Harry suddenly swerved and headed for the Gryffindor goal, his arms stretched out.  
She saw this and was right behind him in an instant. Harry quickly turned, and headed right for the Snitch. He was very close when suddenly Cho was just a little behind him. Harry reached out his arms for real this time, determined to grab it first. The whole team was now watching the two Seekers and the crowd had gone silent. Harry was reaching until it felt like his fingers were going to break….and he closed his hand around the golden Snitch with one swift spurt of the Firebolt.   
Smiling widely, he didn't even really hear the cheers of the crowd. All he wanted to do was to go make sure Christine was okay. Landing and slipping slightly, he stumbled off his broom. Handing the Snitch to Madam Hooch, he started off towards the castle.  
The rest of the Gryffindor team was following him. Angelina squeezed his shoulder proudly.  
"Good job, Harry." She smiled.  
Fred and George clapped him on the back.  
"Spanking good show, Potter, as always." Fred grinned.  
They all seemed a little forlorn as they trudged towards the castle. Harry just really, really wanted Christine to be all right. Everyone else seemed to have the same thing on their minds.   
Suddenly, Lupin was at Harry's side, wiping the rain off his face.  
"That was great, Harry. You may have very well saved her life." Lupin looked very worried, and joined the team as they walked up to the castle. Ron and Hermione apparently couldn't find him in the now very violent thunderstorm, and had joined the many students huddled under umbrellas who were also making their way up to the main entrance.  
The team entered the castle, dripping steadily on the ground. Harry was dashing up to the hospital wing, Lupin not far behind. When they finally reached it, Harry saw Christine on the farthest bed. She was half-heartedly drinking a cup full of a strange steaming potion. She looked ghostly white and her leg was being tended to by Madam Hooch.  
But when she saw Harry, her face lit up.   
"You saved my life!" She shrieked, rather hoarsely.  
Struggling to get up, but collapsing out of pain and a forceful push back from Madam Pomfrey, she resigned to stay on her bed.  
The rest of the team was filtering in.  
"Are you sure you're all right?" Harry asked.  
"Yes, thanks to you. I would've died Harry. Thank you so much." She reached up to grab his hand.  
Suddenly, her eyes fell on Professor Lupin. Harry felt her hand tense on his.  
"Christine…it's been a long time." He said very quietly.  
She looked down, and when she met his eyes again they were full of tears. And to Harry and the rest of the team's shock, Lupin reached down and hugged Christine very tightly.   
"I've missed you." She sobbed.  
"You two know each other?" Angelina looked from one to the other."No, Lupin really misses complete strangers." George muttered sarcastically.  
Harry looked at Christine quizzically.  
"Please, Harry, there are some things you just wouldn't…wouldn't understand." She said weakly.  
Harry turned towards Lupin.  
"She's right, Harry. Please, just trust us when we say that there are some things that are better forgotten." Lupin looked as though he felt terrible for keeping something from Harry.  
Harry felt his body burn with anger.  
"What wouldn't I understand?" His voice was rising slightly.  
"Harry…please-" Christine started to say.  
"No! No, I'm not leaving until you tell what you're hiding from me, Christine! I'm sick of this!" He realized that he was being immature, but he didn't care.  
The rest of the Gryffindor team was watching in silence.  
"Harry, go." Lupin's eyes were darkened.  
"Fine!" Harry yelled, stalking out of the hospital wing, furious.  
He barely heard Madam Pomfrey shooing the rest of the team out. But he didn't want to talk to them. He just wanted to be alone. He hated Lupin and Christine. Why would they want to keep anything from him? He thought he could trust Professor Lupin, but he had obviously been wrong. He turned the corner sharply and ran straight into Ron.  
"Harry, I was just about to go check the hospital wing for you. You did so great!" Ron had a wide smile on his face that made Harry even angrier.  
"Leave me alone!" Harry snapped, shoving past a stunned Ron and headed for the commons room now in a flat-out run.  
Storming past the Fat Lady after spitting the password viciously, he hoped against hope no one was in the common room. But there was someone. A tall, red-haired someone. Ginny Weasley was sitting in the common room, studying. She looked up with a start as Harry slammed the portrait hole shut.  
"Oh, hello, Harry. What's wrong?"  
"I-I just…I need to be alone." Harry said quickly, heading for the staircase.  
"Are you sure you don't want to talk about anything?"   
Harry tried to keep the anger in his voice to a minimum.  
"Yes, Ginny. I'm sure. I'm just…rather upset about something and need to be by myself."  
"All right. Good job today, by the way. That charm was incredible. You saved that girl's life." She looked amazed at his talent.  
"Well, fine way for her to repay me." Harry muttered.  
"What do you mean?"   
And for some reason most unknown to Harry, he suddenly spilled out everything that was in his mind to a wide-eyed Ginny. He told her about the dream, how strangely Christine had acted and everything else he was thinking about.   
She looked a little stunned that he had just suddenly given her so much information.  
"Ginny!" A shrill voice suddenly called from the girl's dormitory.  
Her friend, a short, blond haired fourth year, was headed down the staircase. When she saw who Ginny was talking to, she stopped.  
"Er…it can wait." The girl said quietly, looking a little embarrassed.  
"No, Ginny, go ahead. I'll see you later." Harry turned around and walked up to his room, feeling much better and a lot calmer.  
He heard her walking off and heard them talking as he lay down on his four poster bed, his hands folded behind his head. He was very wet and very tired. It was nice to be alone. He suddenly remembered what he had said to Ron, and a guilty feeling made his stomach flip. He had just been so angry with Christine and mostly with Lupin that he wasn't really thinking. But he still had no right to take it out on Ron like that. But suddenly, as if though under a spell, a wave of sleepiness washed over him.   
He took off his glasses and closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.   
Harry woke up much later from a refreshingly dreamless sleep. It was very dark outside. He reasoned that he had slept right through dinner. Feeling an hungry rumble in his stomach, he reckoned he would either have to face Ron in the Great Hall or go hungry. Suddenly, he heard very soft footsteps coming up the stairs. Watching the doorway apprehensively, he really hoped it wasn't Ron. But to his utter surprise, there stood a very raggedly-dressed house-elf named Dobby. And in one long bony hand, Dobby carried a small plate of wonderful smelling steak from the kitchens.  
"Dobby!" Harry sat up, excited to see him.  
" 'Tis me, sir! Dobby saw that Harry Potter was not down in dinner, so Dobby brings dinner to him!" Dobby's big round eyes looked happily up at Harry.  
Harry thanked him, hungrily picking up the knife and fork and scarfing down the steak. It tasted wonderful.  
"Want some, Dobby?" Harry said thickly, (his mouth was stuffed with a large bite of steak)  
"No, sir. Dobby has already eaten." The little house-elf was grinning broadly as though nothing pleased him more than making Harry happy.  
As he was eating while sitting cross-legged on the floor, Harry heard familiar voices from the common room. Hermione and Ron were arguing very loudly. They seemed to do this an awful lot, so no one in the common room even gave them a second look.  
"Well, Ron, I'm sure he was a little upset! That Quidditch match was very emotionally taxing. You're his best friend, you should understand!"  
"Hermione, why do you always-"  
But Ron was cut off by Harry walking down the stairs.  
"Look, Ron, sorry about that. But I can explain."  
Ron looked at him suspiciously.  
Harry explained everything that had happened. Hermione and Ron looked absolutely stunned.  
"Lupin and Christine know each other? How is that possible? Where could they have met before?" Ron was sputtering. He had obviously forgiven Harry with the announcement of this stunning news.  
Hermione was thinking, her eyebrows furrowed.  
"Harry, you don't think…well, has Lupin ever had any children?" She said this very quietly.  
"I don't have the slightest idea. I don't think he's ever been married."  
"Yes, the whole turning into a murderous beast once a month might put a damper in the relationship." Hermione was thinking even harder now.  
"That doesn't mean he's never had children." Ron said, speaking even more quietly.  
"Wait! I've just thought-there's bound to be teacher's records in Dumbledore's office that would have this sort of information! I'll go look while you two are in Hogsmeade!" Harry whispered.  
"I don't know…" Hermione looked a little wary of the idea, as she always did when rule-breaking was suggested.  
"C'mon, Hermione, what's the worst thing that could happen?" Ron looked exasperated.  
"Would you like me make a list for you? I think I could fill up about two rolls of parchment." Hermione shot back.  
"Look, Hermione, I'll be careful. I always am." Harry was getting tired of people thinking he couldn't take care of himself. He had successfully overcome the most evil wizard in history-four times.  
"I can tell I'm not going to say anything that'll stop you. Even though I wish you wouldn't. So, just promise me-don't go out onto Hogwarts grounds by yourself." Hermione looked very sternly at him.  
"I know not to do that." Harry hated not being able to, but it was much better than being killed.  
Ron suddenly yawned very loudly.   
"It's nearly midnight." Harry commented, looking at his watch.  
"I'm going to bed. 'Night, Hermione."  
"Good-night, Ron. 'Night, Harry." Hermione looked rather sleepy herself, walking off to the girl's rooms.  
"Ron, you go ahead." Harry saw Ginny sitting on the couch with her friend.  
Ron shrugged, heading for their room.  
"Ginny, could I have a word?" Harry asked, causing her to look up, her cheeks burning.  
"Of course."  
They walked over to a window, away from the very small amount of people still in the common room.   
"I just wanted to make sure that you didn't tell anyone all the things I've told you."  
"Harry, I didn't tell anybody. And I won't. I'm honored that you trusted me enough to tell me all that."  
Not really knowing how to reply to that, there was an awkward silence.  
"Okay then, thanks. Good-night, Ginny." Harry smiled, and walked away.  
She just stood there, flushed with happiness, for a long time afterwards.  
  
  
  
Awwww...isn't that sweet? I love H/G, don't you? I forgot to mention up at the top  
that there is also a big part with Hagrid in the next installment. So if ya like  
Hagrid (are there any big Hagrid fans out there?) ya gotta review and let me  
know! Anybody think they've got Christine figured out now? Just a hint: it's  
not as obvious as you think. That's all the mysterious ~FleurHartz~ will reveal  
for now--until next time... 


	4. Default Chapter Title

Friday passed fairly quickly. Before he even realized it was time, Ron and Hermione had bid him good-bye and left for Hogsmeade.   
To his despair, Harry realized he was the only Gryffindor fifth year not in the long line of students waiting to be checked off the list. As Professor McGongall reached the end of the list, she looked over at Harry. He was the lone fifth year at the Gryffindor table.  
"Not joining us this time, Potter?"  
"No, Professor. I'm staying here."  
"All right, everyone, let's go." Professor McGongall led the group of third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh years out to the carriages that were waiting for them.   
Harry looked down the Gryffindor table. A few sixth and seventh years were there, bored with the whole Hogsmeade idea. All the second and the first years were wistfully watching their senior years and talking about what Hogsmeade must be like. Harry smiled. He saw Christine sitting alone and quickly looked away.  
This was going to be a long weekend.  
********************************************************************************************That Saturday, Harry remembered he said he would check Dumbledore's office. Grabbing the invisibility cloak from under his bed, just for safety's sake, Harry set off. It was a very dull, rainy day. The torches were alight in the halls, casting an eerie light on the dark corridors. He was very much alone in the hallway. Hogwarts was never too crowded on Hogsmeade weekends.  
Eventually finding his way to the goblin that guarded Dumbledore's office, he realized he would have to guess what the password was. Tucking the cloak under his robes, he decided he'd give the old password a try.  
"Cockroach Cluster?" He said hopefully.  
Not to his surprise, nothing happened.   
"Fine. All right…er…"  
"It's phoenix feather." A voice said from behind him.  
It was Christine, looking rather nervously at him.  
"How did you know that?"  
"I had to speak with Dumbledore about playing on the Quidditch team as a first year. I heard Professor McGongall say it while she was taking me up there. "  
The goblin had slowly gone to the side. Harry started to head up the revolving staircase when he saw Christine was following him.  
"What are you doing?" Harry spun around, hoping desperately no teacher was coming.  
"Well, why do you need to go up to the office? I know it's none of my business…" She looked a little embarrassed.  
"You're right, it is none of your business. Now, go away before someone comes and sees me!" Harry said desperately, feeling his heart pounding in his chest.   
She looked a little hurt, but left nonetheless. Harry slipped the invisibility cloak over his head as he slowly went up the staircase. He hoped Dumbledore wasn't in his office.   
Harry tried to shake off the twinge of guilt in his stomach. Dumbledore had trusted him even when no one else would. He felt badly going behind his back like this.   
Now he had reached the entrance. Taking a deep breath, Harry pressed his ear up against the door. He couldn't hear anyone. Tentatively putting his hand on the doorknob, he slowly turned it and pushed open the door. No one was in there. Letting out a huge sigh of relief, he stepped in and started toward the silver file cabinet that was covered with beautiful engravings. Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix, looked around suspiciously. Harry wondered if Fawkes could see straight through his cloak. He certainly had other extraordinary abilities. But Fawkes just let out a small squawk and went back to preening his beautiful red feathers.   
Harry knew he had to hurry. Dumbledore might be back at any moment. Quickly opening the first filing cabinet drawer, he looked anxiously at the dividers. This seemed to hold Hogwart's student's files. Opening the next one, he let out a triumphant, "Ah-ha!"  
It was all the teachers. He quickly pushed past Avery, Casptone, Flitwick, Hagrid and Hooch. Finally, he pulled out the file labeled Lupin, Remus.   
Pulling it open, he pushed past the pages and picture to a page simply labeled:  
History  
  
Before coming to a teaching position at Hogwarts, Remus Lupin was a student here in the Gryffindor house. At the young age of fourteen, Remus unfortunately  
Wasbitby a werewolf, therefore becoming one himself.   
He was a very good student who performed admirably in all of his classes. When he would turn into a werewolf, I allowed him to go to the Shrieking Shack until he turned back. The Whomping Willow was planted to prevent anyone from going after Remus to the Shrieking Shack when he was in a very dangerous state. The passage under the Whomping Willow led Remus to the Shrieking Shack. Remus was good friends with James Potter, Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew during his years at Hogwarts. He has taken the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching position at Hogwarts. Remus will take a special potion made by Severus Snape that prevents him from turning into a werewolf, but is still required to leave a day before a full moon and come back a day after.   
Remus Lupin has never been married or had any children.   
  
There was more written, and Harry was anxious to keep reading, but just then, Dumbledore stepped into his office. Harry froze, horror making his heart feel like exploding. Dumbledore saw the open file, and his wrinkled forehead was furrowed. Walking over with Fawkes on his shoulder, he looked curiously around.  
Harry was slowly backing around, clutching the file under his cloak. He was working very hard at not making a sound. Dumbledore was standing about two feet from him. Harry saw the open office door and started slowly, silently towards it. His heart was pounding so hard that he was sure Dumbledore must have heard him. Dumbledore was looking very oddly at the files. Then, Dumbledore pulled open one of his desk drawers and held up what looked like a very odd magnifying glass. It was light blue glass and was surrounded by highly polished silver. Dumbledore was looking through it with concentration, and then said calmly:  
"I believe I'll be wanting that back, Harry."  
Harry froze. How could Dumbledore possibly have seen him?   
"Please take off that cloak and return that file to me."  
Harry suddenly felt like running for it. But he knew that probably wouldn't work very well. Reluctantly, he pulled the cloak off his head.  
He and Dumbledore just looked at each other for a moment. Not really knowing what to do, he slowly handed the file to Dumbledore and started off towards the open door.  
"Thank you, Harry. Oh, and your detention is at 8:00 on Sunday evening. Meet me at my office for supplies. I believe you already know the password. The suits of armor need polishing-all of them." Dumbledore wasn't smiling.  
"Yes, sir." Harry muttered, trudging out.  
This was terrible. Harry had never had Dumbledore angry with him. He was slowly feeling more and more cut off from everyone he had always relied on. First Lupin, now Dumbledore. And Ron and Hermione wouldn't be back until Monday. Harry's heart was very heavy as he headed back to the Gryffindor common room. He said the password to the Fat Lady's picture and entered the practically empty common room. To his disappointment, he saw Christine sitting there.   
"Hello, Harry." She said rather stiffly.  
"Christine, if you hadn't wasted all that time by following me, I would've been in and out of there before Dumbledore came back!" Harry felt the anger within him slowly escalating.  
"You got caught? By Dumbledore?" She looked horrified.  
"Yes, I did! And, thanks to you Christine, the two people I trusted more than anyone now both hate me! How can you just come here   
and-"  
"Harry, shut up! Just shut up and listen! I'm sorry for all that, all right? Can't we just forget about it and be friends! I hate this! I hate you not talking to me! I thought of everyone at Hogwarts, Harry Potter would be the person I would look up to, that I could always count on and now-"  
"How do you know me? I've never met you!"  
"Haven't you, Harry? Think back and maybe it'll finally get through to you!" She was purple in the face now.  
"What's that supposed to mean?"   
But Christine had stormed off through the portrait hole. Harry was a little slow in reacting, but finally thought to go after her.  
"Christine, what do you mean?" He bellowed, she was already half-way down the hall.  
"Harry, forget it all right. I don't know what I was saying. Just forget it and let's be friends." She looked up at him hopefully.  
Harry was hurrying down the hall to catch up.  
"All right, Christine. Okay. We can be friends. But only if you tell me what you were talking about."   
"Harry, how many times do I have to tell you? I can't! I'm not even so sure I know everything myself. Just, please, let it go." Her big dark eyes were pleading.  
Harry was trying to decide if he could just let it go. But one look at her innocent, honest face and his decision was made.  
"Okay, Christine." He said quietly.  
Her entire face light up and she threw her arms around his neck.   
"Thank you, Harry!" She sounded so happy Harry couldn't help but smile.  
They walked down to the Great Hall together just as dinner was about to start. It was a little strange sitting with all the first and second years, but they were eventually joined by a few sixth and seventh years. It was actually quite fun now that he and Christine were friends again.   
Even though he had detention the next day, Harry didn't feel as upset as he thought he would. Ron and Hermione would be coming back the next day and Dumbledore actually was much less severe than he had expected. It was going to be all right. Everything was going to be fine.   
On Sunday, Harry woke up very early and decided to go visit Hagrid after eating. Harry ate very quickly. Just as he was walking outside, he remembered his promise to Hermione. Letting out a great sigh of frustration, he quickly searched for someone who would go with him. He saw Ginny Weasley just getting up from her breakfast.   
"Ginny!" He called.  
She looked around, and looked very surprised when she saw who had said her name. In a moment, she was right at his side.  
"Yes?"   
"Would you walk down with me to Hagrid's cabin? I don't really want to go by myself." He would've been embarrassed telling anyone else this, but Ginny was remembering everything he had told her.  
"Of course, Harry."  
And they set off together for Hagrid's cabin. It was another dreary day, and the clouds were a dark gray. Ginny pulled her black cloak closer around her shoulders, shivering.  
"It's really cold today." She commented awkwardly.  
Harry didn't answer. Something looked strange about Hagrid's cabin. There were no lights on and he didn't see Fang in the window as they approached.  
"What is it, Harry?" Ginny looked at him curiously.  
"It's just…something looks kind of strange." Harry was now walking more quickly.  
Reaching the front door, he banged his fist anxiously on it.  
"Hagrid! Hagrid, it's Harry!" He called.   
There was no answer. No usual barking from Fang. Something was terribly wrong. Pulling one of the windows open, Harry climbed in. Ginny didn't say anything, just followed after him. Harry let his eyes adjust to the dim light. A goblet was turned over on the table. He looked over in the back room. None of Hagrid's things were there.   
"Harry, come look at this!" Ginny called suddenly.   
Harry dashed over, and looked over her shoulder at the letter that was left on the counter.  
  
  
Hagrid,  
It is time to for you and Madame Maxime to perform the task we have  
put off all summer. I didn't think times had become so urgent, but ,   
indeed, they have. Voldemort is starting to send word out to his old   
followers and the giants must be made allies. I know this is enormous  
responsibility, but I have complete faith that you can complete it.   
I must ask that you leave immediately. I have spoken with Fleur and   
she will be taking over your position as Care of Magical Creatures   
professor. Everything is under control here, Hagrid. Do not worry   
yourself with things that are taken care of. You have a much more   
important responsibility in front of you. Please keep in touch and   
tell me how things are playing out. You will be sorely missed in your   
absence, but this is your duty and you must complete it.  
  
Albus Dumbledore  
  
Harry and Ginny looked at each other, shocked. Hagrid was gone. And he hadn't even said good-bye. Harry felt a strange lump in his throat, and slowly set the letter back on the table.  
"I'm terribly sorry, Harry." Ginny said quietly.  
Harry's eyes were burning. Frustrated with himself for getting so emotional, his sadness quickly turned to anger.  
"Are you all right?" Her voice sounded very nervous, watching for his reaction.  
"Yeah, Ginny, I'm fine. What would be wrong?" He snapped sarcastically.  
She looked surprised. He never talked to her like this.   
"Look, Harry, Hagrid has to do this, don't you understand?"  
"Ginny, go away!"  
Ginny was getting fed up.  
"Oh stop being so immature, Harry! Honestly, I know things have been weird lately, okay? But taking it out on everyone else like this isn't what you should be doing. Voldemort's the one who's doing this, not us. Not your friends. So stop treating us like we're the enemy."  
Harry looked up at her with surprise. He had never heard a Weasley say Voldemort's name like that. And even though Ginny looked a little surprised that she had said this to him, he realized it was exactly what he needed to hear. This wasn't Hagrid's fault. Once again, Harry realized that everything bad in his life somehow led back to the person who had ruined it to begin with.  
"You're right, Ginny. I'm sorry." Harry was so full of confusing emotions right now that he just wanted to get out of the cabin. Memories were flooding his brain like a dizzyingly fast movie.   
He hurried off to the common room as a light rain began to fall. Dripping rain on the beautiful marble entrance, he suddenly ran into a very distressed looking Fleur.  
"Hello, 'arry." She looked strangely distant, as though a million things were on her mind.  
"Hey, Fleur."  
"You do not know where it is zat Hagrid has left all ze instructions for ze next couple of weeks, do you?"  
"No, sorry."  
"Well, zat is just perfect! I do not know what I am to do! Just told zis Friday zat Hagrid was leaving! Been absolutely insane trying to pull everything together wizout him! I am a failure!" Big wet tears were spilling down Fleur's pale cheeks.  
Harry just looked at her, trying to think of something comforting to say. He felt pretty horrible about Hagrid being gone as well, so nothing was coming to mind.  
"Good-bye, 'arry! I will have to go sort zis out!" With those words, Fleur dashed off into the rain.  
Harry had never felt so completely alone as he trudged up the stairs. He needed to find Christine, find a little sanity. To his surprise, she was waiting for him in the common room.  
"Harry, Professor McGongall just came up and told all of us that Hagrid's gone." She obviously thought he hadn't heard.  
"I know. But it's okay. I know he'll be fine." Harry was saying this more to himself than Christine.  
"How did you know?"  
"Went down to Hagrid's cabin. He wasn't there. This'll be a nasty shock for Ron and Hermione." Harry had just remembered that they hadn't heard about Hagrid leaving. The thought of telling them made him feel sick to his stomach.  
The rest of the day seemed to drag endlessly on. Finally, it was 7:55. Nearly time for his detention. In a strange way, Harry had been looking forward to it. It seemed like it would at least distract him a bit from everything that was going on. He trudged up towards Dumbledore's office, muttering "phoenix feather" to the goblin.   
The revolving staircase had him up to the entrance quickly. He knocked, and entered. Dumbledore was sitting at his office, looking wearily at a stack of papers before him. He looked up when Harry stepped into the room.  
"Hello, Harry."   
"Hello, Professor." Harry was pleased to see that Dumbledore didn't look angry. He just looked exhausted.   
He pushed the box of cleaning supplies that was on his desk towards Harry with a flick of his wand. Harry took it by the handle.  
"Sir, could-could I at least explain why I came up to your office?"  
"Harry, I know exactly why you came up to my office. You're wondering about the first year, Christine Hartsook. You're wondering how she and Professor Lupin have ever met. That's why you came up to my office to see if Professor Lupin had ever had any children. I understand Harry. It's only natural you'd want to solve this for yourself. But all I can tell is that you have many more important things to be thinking about. Your worst, most deadly enemy is claiming many lives, Harry. And you are the only known person who can defeat him. Many more innocent people will die before he is vanquished. I think you should be enjoying every moment that you're given with the people you love because you could wake up the next day and they could be gone forever. So, instead of worrying about the past, Harry, treasure the moments that you're given here and now. The past is gone. Stop trying to solve everything that's happened because it won't change anything. That's my advice to you, Harry. Now get to cleaning." And Dumbledore resumed his position of looking at the papers on his desk with a furrowed brow.   
Harry wondered if he should say anything else. Deciding against it, he silently left the office, deep in thought. He really wanted to see Ron and Hermione again. He hoped they were both okay. It was starting to really sink in how serious the Voldemort situation was getting. He just wanted his friends back here again, where they were safe.   
Cleaning the armor was a very, very dull job. But Harry didn't really mind. His mind was going so fast he wasn't even really thinking about what he was doing. The only interesting moment came when Peeves leaped out of one of them.  
"AAAHHH!" Harry jumped about four feet back, his heart thudding out of his chest.  
Peeves cackled insanely, whacking Harry sharply on the back of the head and flying off. When Harry's breathing returned to normal, he resumed work. He had reached the second floor rows of armor when he heard loud voices from down below. Everyone was returning from Hogsmeade. He smiled, wanting to go downstairs to see them.  
But he decided to finish up and then go downstairs. Working much faster, Harry was nearly done with the second floor when the pounding of many feet sounded up the staircase. Oh no. He thought to himself. Just what he needed, everyone to see what he was doing and ask why. Pushing the supplies behind a suit of armor with one foot, he dashed into the first door he saw.  
To his absolute horror, it was the girl's bathroom. He couldn't exactly come out now. Everyone was in the hallway, and he would look a little strange just coming out of a girl's bathroom. But he couldn't really stay in either. Ducking into a stall, Harry hoped for the best.  
Soon, Harry could see two pairs of feet entering. Securely locking his door, he didn't make a sound. It didn't take long for Harry to place one pair of feet and the distinctive voice. It was Cho Chang, accompanied by one of her friends. Panic made him feel weak in the knees.  
If she discovered Harry in here, what would she think? Harry could feel sweat beading on his forehead. He pressed himself up against one of the walls, glad he was wearing very inconspicuous shoes.  
Cho and her friend were laughing to each other and talking in very low voices.  
"Rather glad that Harry didn't join us this weekend. I like him fine, and he obviously likes me, but…I don't know, I'm just not ready to be in another relationship. I'm still getting over Cedric, you know?"   
Cho's friend let out a quiet sigh.  
"Cho, everyone misses Cedric. But it must be especially hard for you."  
"Well, I'm not saying I'm counting Harry out for good, just not now. Not anytime soon. I just wish he would leave me alone.  
Let's go."  
Cho and her friend left.  
Harry stood in shock. He understood what she was saying, but he still felt stupid and embarrassed. He stepped out of the stall and looked at himself in the mirror. Big green eyes surrounded by round black glasses stared back at him. He was medium height, a little skinny.   
But he wasn't that bad. Nothing next to Cedric, he thought bitterly. Feeling extremely hurt, he sort of   
forgot where he was.  
Suddenly, the door opened again. Harry whipped around in horror.  
To his immense relief, it was Hermione.  
"Harry! What-is there some reason you're in the girl's bathroom!!" She looked shocked.  
"It's a long story. Is anyone else out there?"  
"Just Ron."  
"Oh, good." Harry gladly stepped out of the bathroom while Hermione just laughed and stepped into a stall.  
Ron was looking at him with raised eyebrows.  
"Er, Harry, why-"  
Harry cut him off.  
"Long story. Look, I have a lot to tell both of you. But we need to wait for Hermione. How was Hogsmeade?"  
Ron stiffened slightly.  
"Not great. One crazy Death Eater. It was really terrible. Some seventh year Muggle-born is in the hospital ward now. She was by herself in one of the alleys a little before we left, and a Death Eater found her. He did the Cruciatus curse. Twice. She's a mess. Poor Fudge. He's having to try and put a team of Aurors together as quickly as possible. I think Professor McGongall walked into the alley while it was happening. She stunned him, and a dementor apparated down to Hogsmeade and-did, you know, what they do. The Minister of Magic still hasn't removed them from Azkaban like Dumbledore asked. I don't think anyone's going to Hogsmeade again this year. You should be glad you didn't come, Harry. Everyone's pretty shaken up. Especially the Ravenclaws. She was one of them."  
Not Cho, apparently. Harry thought bitterly to himself.  
Just then, Hermione stepped out.  
"Did you tell him?"  
"Yeah. What happened while we were gone, Harry?" Ron was obviously hoping for some good news, but Harry had none to offer.  
"Well, let's see. I got caught by Dumbledore in his office, still finishing up my detention, just heard that Cho's is still not over Cedric, and, oh, the best part- Hagrid's gone. He's off with Madame Maxime trying to get all the giants under control and on our side."  
Ron and Hermione had no response. They looked at him, stunned.  
"Oh, wow. Hagrid's gone." Ron said quietly.  
"Well, it's not like we expected anything different. We knew this was coming. Although maybe not this soon. But Hagrid can take care of himself Harry. Don't worry about that. What were you saying about Dumbledore and Cho?"  
Harry told them practically everything as he continued working on the armor with their help.  
"Oh, well, Harry, what does she know? Cho Chang's always seemed a little thick if you ask me." Ron said comfortingly.  
"So, Lupin doesn't have any children? That's so odd. I would've thought for sure that's what was going on." Hermione looked puzzled.  
"I suppose not. Dumbledore told me to stop worrying about it. I have much bigger things to think about. Death Eaters attacking Muggle-borns right in the middle of Hogsmeade? Voldemort's getting bored, he's getting restless." Harry mused thoughtfully.  
"Hermione, you're probably his ideal next target. Promise us that you'll be really careful." Ron looked at her seriously.  
"I know. This is getting much more serious than I had ever imagined. That Death Eater would've killed her if Professor McGongall hadn't come." Hermione was nervously scrubbing much harder than was necessary.  
"All right. I think we're about done here. I'll go finish up downstairs." Harry picked up the small carrier.  
"And we'll come with you. We haven't seen you all weekend, Harry. We're more than happy to help." Ron said loyally.  
They were done in under an hour. Talking energetically about all that had happened, time flew by. They dropped the supplies back off at Dumbledore's office. Harry set it on his desk and saw the edge of an envelope showing underneath the stack of papers. All he could read was the name Severus in immaculate cursive. Harry wanted so badly to see what it said. But he had done enough sneaking around. Hermione looked over his shoulder and saw it too.  
"Harry, we're leaving." She looked as if this was paining her greatly. She obviously wanted to know what it said as well. But if Dumbledore caught them going through his things again, they might never regain his trust.  
Ron didn't see it. He was stroking Fawkes who squawked appreciatively. They left, and it was a good thing they did. They met Dumbledore on the revolving staircase. If they had stayed a second longer, he would've seen them with the letter.  
Harry told him he was finished and that the cleaning supplies were on his desk. He smiled, but it was not his usual cheery smile. It was the smile of a man who looked like he had far too much in his wise old head.  
He politely said hello to Ron and Hermione and then hurried up to his office.  
"Good thing we didn't read it." Hermione hissed to Harry.  
On the way back to the common room, all three were silent with thought. So much had happened in their first   
few weeks at Hogwarts.  
  
  
Well...what did you think? Hagrid gone, Ginny ticked off at Harry (there's a new one) and  
Cho acting a little meaner than usual. Interesting. Coming up: we find out what was in   
Snape's letter, Ron and Hermione have a big fight, a very big incident at Azkaban (can't  
tell ya more, it would ruin the surprise) and Draco's up to some very mysterious  
scheming. R/R if you're interested and if you liked this part. Thanks to everyone for   
reviewing the first three parts! 


	5. Default Chapter

The Gryffindors were very somber in Care of Magical Creatures the following day. The Slytherins on the other hand, couldn't be happier. Hagrid was gone. And Draco Malfoy was the happiest of them all.  
Suddenly, Fleur came running out onto the field. It seemed as though her usual magnificent appearance had been forgotten over her extremely taxing weekend. Dark circles had formed under her blue eyes, her long blond hair was yanked back into a messy ponytail and her eyes were bloodshot. She looked exhausted.  
"Hello, students. I'm sure zat you have all heard about ze Hagrid zituaition. The drazards are in their boxes sleeping. Go…take care of them or whatever it is zat you would like. If you don't mind, I have much work to do. Oh, and Hagrid left in his notes that all zat they eat is ze Muizley berries. Zare are buckets of zis berries over there. Please only work with your azzigned partner." Letting out a huge sigh, she rummaged through her silk bag and pulled out some papers, getting to work while sitting under a nearby tree.  
Draco swaggered over to Hermione. She immediately narrowed her eyes.  
"Can I help you?" She said darkly.  
When Draco replied, it was in a very quiet voice. But Ron and Harry could still hear him.  
"All those Mudblood deaths making you a little nervous, Granger? Think you might be next? I think you will be. And I can hardly wait."  
Ron leaped at Malfoy with a roar of anger. Usually Hermione just let Malfoy's insults not bother her, but apparently this had been one to many. Hermione had whipped out her wand and cursed Malfoy with a nose-breaking curse, and Malfoy howled with pain. Harry was desperately trying to pull Ron and Hermione away as Fleur was marching over.  
When Fleur reached them, Harry had finally dragged Malfoy away. Ron was still shaking with anger, and Hermione was glaring at Malfoy, stuffing her wand back in her robes.  
"WHAT IS ZE MEANING OF ZIS!!???" Fleur shrieked.  
Draco was lying on the ground, clutching his bloody nose and bruised arm, whimpering. All the other Gryffindors and Slytherins had gathered around and were watching nervously.  
"You didn't hear what he said to her." Ron hissed.  
"He deserved it, you don't know-" Hermione began.  
"All I know, Miss Granger and Mizter Weasley, is zat both of you should be in serious trouble. How could you do zis? Don't you think zat I have enough on my mind? Right now, I am too busy with my work and I do not fully know the situation, so I'm letting you off with only thirty points from ze house you belong to. But if either of you put another toe of ze line, it will be cause for immediate suspension. Is zat understood?"  
They both nodded.  
"Now, someone assist Mizter Malfoy up to ze hospital ward and all of you get back to work."  
Crabbe and Goyle each put an arm under Malfoy's shoulders and picked him up as if he weighed nothing at all. Malfoy looked back at Hermione, still clutching his nose.  
"I'll get you for this, Granger." He hissed as they carried him away.  
Hermione looked a little shocked with herself.   
"You have nothing to be ashamed of, Hermione. He has no right to say something like that to you." Ron said, his face red with anger.  
"You two can't pull stuff like that now. Not at a time like this. We all know Malfoy hates us all so you can't let things like that get to you." Harry said quietly to them.  
"I know. I'm sorry. It's just…I'm so tired of him saying things like that to me." Hermione now looked guilty, looking off in the distance as Malfoy was entering the castle.  
"Let's go get our drazards." Harry suggested, deciding it was best to change the subject. Ron was looking at him angrily, and he didn't want to start anything.  
Harry started to walk over to the crates, and saw that Pansy was already holding it, petting it gently. As soon as she saw Harry, she stopped.   
"Why don't you tell your friends to leave Draco alone?" She hissed.  
"Why don't you tell Draco to stop being such a-" Harry began, but was cut off by a loud voice.  
"NEVILLE!" His exasperated partner exclaimed as he dropped all their berries and stepped on them.  
Neville's whole face went red. He fumbled around, trying to pick up the berries he hadn't smashed.  
Harry watched with a furrowed brow. How could someone with such capable parents be so terrible at everything?  
At the end of class, Draco came back with a huge bandage on his nose. He looked extremely ridiculous. Ron just grinned at Hermione smugly, but she was looking at Draco with something close to sympathy. Apparently her conscience was bothering her. She walked over to him, slinging her backpack over her shoulder.  
"Look, Draco, I'm really sorry."  
To her surprise, he didn't look angry at all. He was smiling widely.   
"That's all right, Hermione."  
But there was something very strange about Malfoy's voice that made Hermione extremely suspicious.  
"See you later." He said with another huge grin.  
She watched him go, mouth wide open.  
"What was that all about?" Ron asked, looking at Draco's back as he was leaving.  
Harry joined them.  
"Hermione, what did you say?" He asked, shocked.  
"I just-I just apologized."  
They all looked at each other and burst out laughing, shaking their heads.  
"What a nutter." Ron laughed as they walked off to Potions class.  
During Potions, they worked on antidotes. It was rather dull, but Harry was too busy watching Professor Capstone to really notice. He was still writing on a piece of parchment, his brow furrowed.  
"Ah, I've done it!" Hermione said suddenly, breaking Harry's train of thought.  
She was looking happily as her antidote turned the poison to a clear, watery substance.   
"Good grief, Hermione, that was one of the hardest in the book!" Ron looked at her with amazement.  
Her cheeks turned pink, but she was still very obviously pleased with herself.  
Ron looked at Harry, who was still watching Professor Capstone's quill zooming across the parchment.  
"Still no idea what he's up to?" Ron asked Harry.  
"I have no idea. But it's really bothering me." Harry said quietly.   
Harry finally just decided to not think about it anymore. He needed to do well in this class. He could always figure out what was going on with Professor Capstone later. Concentrating on his antidotes, the class bell rang before he knew it and it was time for Defense Against the Dark Arts.  
As the three were walking to class, they passed Angelina Johnson.  
"Harry-Quidditch practice tonight. Game against Slytherin's coming up in a few weeks, and they are determined to beat us. Be there at 7:00."  
He nodded, telling Angelina good-bye.  
"Oh, right, that reminds me-how is Viktor, Hermione?" Ron said out of the blue.  
"Fine." She said shortly and strangely passively.  
"Is Bulgaria is just vonderful this time of year, Herm-o-ninny?" Ron said in an impressively accurate impression.  
"Shut up, Ron!" She snapped, "Their Quidditch team is so busy that he won't be able to make it to Hogsmeade any other weekend. He probably even won't have time to write. So no need to get all-oh, however you get whenever I mention Viktor."  
"So he can't write anymore? Isn't that a shame, Harry?" Ron said slightly under his breath.  
But Hermione heard him.  
"Ron, enough! Give it a rest, all right? Let's not start this again." Hermione cheeks were flushing red.  
Harry could always sense when an argument was coming.  
"Er-here we are! I wonder what we're doing in Defense Against Dark Arts." Harry said very quickly.  
Hermione and Ron didn't say a word or look at each other as they entered the classroom. Professor Lupin looked tired himself. He rubbed his eyes as the Ravenclaws and the Gryffindors seated themselves. The tables were just arranged where only two could sit together.  
Hermione went to sit with Neville, but Ron stopped her.  
"Oh, no Hermione. I'm fine. I can sit with someone else." And looking smug and very proud of himself, Ron went and sat with Mandy Brocklehurst.  
Hermione gritted her teeth.  
"That's fine, Ron. Go right ahead." She put a tight smile on her face and sat down next to Harry.  
Harry rolled his eyes. This got so old after awhile.  
Thankfully, Professor Lupin started class.   
"Hello, everyone. We're having a class on vampires today. What they are, how to fight them, you get the idea. And since there is no possible way I can bring a vampire into class," there was nervous laughter, "I just brought this."  
He pulled a sheet off the table, revealing garlic, stakes, crucifixes, vials of perfectly clear water, and almost every other vampire-fighting cliché Harry had ever heard of.  
"Yes, Muggles know of these defenses. But they don't believe in them. Because they don't believe in vampires. But they do exist and this is how you fight them."   
Professor Lupin went on to explain all the different ways to fight them. Harry wasn't really listening. Dudley had watched horror movies his entire childhood, he had heard all this before.  
He was sleepy himself. Putting his head down on his desk nonchalantly, Harry closed his eyes. His last image he saw was Hermione looking at him disapprovingly.   
But then he was somewhere else entirely. Standing in a very familiar room with a fireplace and snake curled up at the hearth. Voldemort was pacing the room wildly while addressing a man Harry couldn't see. He was hidden behind the armchair, but Harry distinctly heard a man crying.  
"You have an opportunity every day you're at that damn school! Wormtail could've finished this assignment already, but no, you begged for it. You're already on your second chance. And, mark my words, you will not receive a third. Oh, and just a reminder to help you remember to get to work- Crucio!!"  
Harry heard a terrible screaming. His forehead was splitting in half, he was screaming with the unseen man. Then, with a thump, Harry was awake again.  
He opened his eyes to see Ron and Hermione looking at him, half concerned, half exasperated.  
"Another dream, Harry?" Ron asked, grinning sympathetically.  
The whole class had gathered around by now. Harry was lying flat on his back, one hand still on his throbbing forehead. He felt a hot feeling covering his face as his cheeks burned red.  
"Harry, why don't you visit the nurse?" Lupin watched him knowingly and worried.  
"Yes. Yes, the nurse. I'll-I'll just be going." Harry got up quickly and hurried out of the room.  
Once he reached the hallway, he looked around to make sure no one was in sight, and leaned wearily up against the wall. He felt exhausted, as if he had just been through some terrible ordeal. And his scar felt like someone was holding a lit match to it. Harry took a few deep breaths and then regained control of himself. He started to make his way down to the Madam Pomfrey's ward.  
As he turned the corner, he bumped right into Ginny.  
"Harry! Hi! Haven't seen you around lately! What are you doing out of class?" She was talking very fast and flustered.  
"Just about to ask you the same question."  
"Oh, well, Professor McGonagall wanted me to run these mince pies down to the kitchens. We've just spent the whole class transforming mice into mince pies and it seemed a shame to let them go to waste. Now, what are you doing?"  
"I-I'm not feeling too well." Harry said quickly.  
"Oh, I'm sorry. What's the matter?"  
"Headache." Harry was hoping she wouldn't ask any more questions.  
"Oh. Right. Those kind of headaches." She said knowingly.  
"Yeah. See you around, Ginny." Harry felt like he was being rather abrupt, but the pain in his scar was making him feel dizzy.  
"Right then! Bye, Harry! Hope you feel better. And if there's anything you want to talk about, I'm always around." Ginny gave him a huge smile and headed for the kitchens.  
Harry smiled despite his pain, and then hurried towards the ward. He was finally there. He told Madam Pomfrey he had a headache, and she, having experience with Harry, ordered him to a bed.  
But he was in no mood to sleep. He sat with an ice pack on his head, mulling over the dream he had just had. He heard the bell ringing that signaled it was time for dinner. He finally convinced Madam Pomfrey to let him leave, and started towards the Great Hall.  
On his way down, he suddenly bumped into a very shifty looking Malfoy.  
"Potter! Watch where you're going!" He yelled, putting something that looked like a book hastily under his robes.  
"Oh, good cover. Bet you're not up to anything." Harry said sarcastically, walking past Malfoy.  
But he had to admit he was rather curious why Malfoy was acting so strangely. He would have to ask Ron and Hermione about it. Right after he told them about his dream.  
Spotting them sitting at their usual spot at the Gryffindor table, he started to hurry over. Just then, he bumped into a rather short, very pretty someone. Cho Chang. This seemed to happen quite often.  
"Hey, Harry." She said, obviously distracted.  
Harry decided to act as aloof as possible. He was tired of her thinking he was so in love with her. No matter how true it was.  
"Cho. Nice to see you." He said very shortly, and stepped past her immediately.  
She looked a little surprised, but soon went back to whatever she was thinking about.   
When he reached his spot at the Gryffindor table, Ron looked up, concerned.  
"Are you all right? What happened in your dream?"  
Harry started to fill them in on everything that had happened and they stayed up very late that night discussing who could possibly be the person who Voldemort was talking to.  
The next few weeks passed very quickly. Work had started to pile up on the fifth years. All the teachers seemed to be very adamant about preparing them for the ever-looming O.W.L.s.  
Harry woke up late on Monday morning. He, Hermione and Ron had stayed up all last night trying to figure out a paper they had to write for Transfiguration. Hermione had tried to help them, but even she was a little confused. Finally, just as the sun was coming up, they had all gone to bed.  
Harry wondered if Ron had already gone down to breakfast. He looked over at his bed. Ron was still sleeping soundly, looking very peaceful. Everyone else in their room was down at breakfast, and Harry heard no noise from the common room.  
Suddenly, he heard someone thundering up the staircase. Ron woke up with a start, mumbling about Quidditch. Harry watched the entrance to the room curiously. He was shocked when Hermione dashed in, holding the Daily Prophet in her hand. Ron was now fully awake.  
"Hermione, for the last time, you can't come up here!" He said, rubbing his eyes.  
"Shut up, Ron, this is important! Well, we all overslept, and so I wasn't down at the Great Hall when my Daily Prophet came, so this owl brought it up to me and take a look at the first page!" Hermione looked horrified.  
Harry took the paper from Hermione, and looked at the first page. His jaw dropped. Ron joined him and clapped a hand over his mouth.  
  
  
  
  
Azkaban Prisoner Release-You-Know-Who Suspected  
  
Staff Writer Jezebel Worlai  
  
On Sunday night, a very shocking event took place, one unprecedented in its dangerous implications. The Azkaban prison was still being guarded by the infamous dementors when suddenly, the dementor guards began to release the prisoners. May the Daily Prophet remind its readers that the prisoners at Azkaban are only the worst Dark wizards of all time, ones that committed the most horrendous crimes known in the wizarding world. Most of them are faithful supporters of You-Know-Who. And the dementors began to release every single one of them. All of the prisoners escaped with the dementors by boat. They have not reached a destination yet and now one really knows exactly where they are. But they could reach land at any time. And You-Know-Who will have many of his most dangerous supporters returned to him. The reason for this sudden action by the Dementors is not known for certain, but it seems rather obvious that You-Know-Who is behind it. This Daily Prophet reporter hopes that all wizards and witches will be very careful as this You-Know-Who situation takes on an even more dangerous tone.  
  
When Harry and Ron finished reading the article, they looked at Hermione, shocked.  
"This is…terrible." Harry said quietly.  
"I hope Dad and Mum are all right. Who knows what's going to happen with all the Death Eaters and killers having free run of wherever they'd like?" Ron looked very worried.  
"I'm sure everyone's safe at Hogwarts, what with Dumbledore and all, but the second you step outside of the school…" Hermione shivered.  
"Well, who knows we're even safe here, Hermione? Remember Harry's dream? There's someone here, someone just as dangerous as all those Azkaban prisoners." Ron reminded her.  
"What are we going to do?" Hermione said quietly.  
None of the three had an answer.  
All of Hogwarts was an uproar over what had happened with Azkaban. Everyone was worried about their families and friends back at home. It was the constant topic of discussion in almost every spare moment between classes.   
On Tuesday morning in Transfiguration, even Professor McGongall seemed a little distracted. She didn't give them hardly any homework, just sat at her desk and graded their papers, letting them talk. It was very unlike her, but no one minded.  
The Slytherins didn't seem very upset about everything that had happened at Azkaban. Some seemed downright giddy. Draco Malfoy was laughing about something with Pansy. They were sitting right next to Harry, Ron and Hermione. Ron was watching them with narrowed eyes.  
"Acting all happy during a time like this." He whispered to Harry and Hermione angrily.  
"Ron, it's Draco. Of course he's happy. All his dad's old friends are finally out of Azkaban." Hermione replied, a little louder than she meant to.  
Draco stopped talking, looking over at them.  
"What did you say, Granger?" He hissed.  
"You heard me, Draco." She replied coldly.  
"Oh, just you wait, Granger. You'll get what's coming to you." He said so only they could hear him.  
Pansy smiled smugly. She and Draco looked at each other with very malicious grins. Then they returned to what they were talking about in low voices.  
"Hermione, he's making me really nervous." Ron said quietly.  
"I know what you mean. I forgot tell both of you about something-" Harry proceeded to tell them about when he had seen Draco with the book.  
"What on earth is he up to?" Hermione said a little nervously.  
Just then, Professor McGongall spoke.  
"All right, all of you, I've finished grading your papers. I must say I'm a little disappointed. I expected better work from all of you, especially as fifth years-"  
"Professor, all of our other teachers are loading us down with homework as well! I've been so busy I've hardly slept at all in weeks!" Parvati suddenly said.  
There were murmurs of agreement.  
"Miss Patil, one more word and I'll take five points from Gryffindor! All of you are going to have to work hard this year, make no mistake. I know all of you are busy. But it is my duty as a teacher-"  
She was interrupted again by none other than Dumbledore. She looked at him curiously as he stood in the doorway, looking concerned.  
"Minerva, you're needed right away in the staff room. Students, all return to your common rooms immediately."   
All the Gryffindors and Slytherins picked up their bags and left, all wondering what was going on.  
"You know, we could find out what was going on. We've listened to staff meetings before." Ron suggested quietly.  
Harry had no objections. Hermione looked torn. She still hated breaking rules, but she wanted to find out just as much as they did what was going on.  
"Fine. What should we do?" She said under her breath.  
Harry realized that they couldn't exactly sneak into the closet again. All the teachers were probably already in the staff room.  
"Fred and George told me there's a classroom right next to the staffroom that no one uses. It has a door that goes straight to the staff room. We could probably hear what was going on through that."  
"Sounds good to me." Harry said quietly, marveling at how useful Fred and George had always proved to be.  
They quickly turned a corner, separating themselves from the group of students. Thankfully, everyone seemed too caught up in their own conversations to notice them. Quickly going down the hall, they finally reached the hallway that held the staff room. After a very close call with Filch, who was headed to the meeting, they got into the classroom undetected.  
True to Fred and George's word, there was a door leading into the staff room. And you could hear every word that was spoken through it. Harry got down on his knees, looking through the small keyhole. Closing one eye, he could see what was going on as well.  
"They're all sitting down. Dumbledore's up at the front and he looks really upset." Harry told them, and grew silent when they could all hear Dumbledore speaking, though in a slightly muffled voice.   
"All of you probably do not know why I called this meeting. But you do probably know where Professor Snape has been. And he has provided me with some information I feel must be passed along to you."  
Harry, Ron and Hermione quickly exchanged excited glances and got even closer to the door, so not to miss a word.  
"For those of you who do not know, Severus returned to Voldemort this summer, pledging his loyalty while really working against him and giving me valuable information. We have been corresponding all summer and recently, Severus discovered some very interesting information. He tells me that there is a traitor among us. He does not know who, but has heard Voldemort himself speaking of his "servant at Hogwarts." Yes, one of the staff at Hogwarts is really on Voldemort's side. I tell you this not to alarm you, but to prepare you. I want none of the students told of this. Just be careful, all of you, and report anything unusual to me. That is all." Dumbledore left the room, his arms hanging wearily at his side.  
The whole staff of Hogwarts was completely silent. They were all looking at each other, with mixed levels of suspicion. None of them spoke for a long while. Neither did Harry, Ron or Hermione. It was very strange to think that one of the teachers or staff they had known for so long and had no reason not to trust were working for Voldemort.  
"Zis never would have happened at Beauxbatons." Fleur said, breaking the silence as she stomped out of the room.  
Harry turned to his friends, looking away from the scene through the keyhole.  
"So that's where Snape is. I hate to say this, but that's really brave of him." Harry told them quietly.  
Ron snorted.  
"Probably really is working for You-Know-Who and just told Dumbledore all this crap to get everyone stirred up." Ron said passionately.  
"Ron, when are you going to realize that Snape isn't evil? He's just rather…mean." Hermione finished lamely.  
"Hermione, you can't trust anyone that's working for You-Know-Who!!"  
"Under false pretenses, Ron! He's working for Voldemort to help us! He's risking his life!"  
Their hushed voices were steadily growing in volume.  
"Shut up, you two! Do you want to get caught?" Harry hissed.  
He looked through the keyhole, panicked. Had any of the teachers heard them? As he looked through, he suddenly cried out with alarm. A beady, golden eye was looking right back at him. It was only Mrs. Norris, but now all of the staff had looked towards the door.  
"RUN!!" Harry whispered, and they all took off at a breakneck speed.  
Dashing out of the room, they ran as fast as they could for the Gryffindor common room. Some of the teachers had come out into the hall to see who had been listening. Luckily, all three of them had rounded the corner before anyone came out and they weren't seen.  
When they reached the common room, Harry hastily gave the Fat Lady the password and they practically dived into the common room. Every Gryffindor attending Hogwarts looked up at them curiously.  
There was a moment where the only sound was Harry, Ron and Hermione's heavy breathing as they leaned up against the wall, exhausted.  
"And where have you three been?" Fred asked, looking amused and impressed.   
"Er…bathroom?" Hermione said hopefully.  
This was met with skeptical laughs and then everyone went back to what they were doing.  
Harry rounded on the two of them.  
"What is up with you two? You nearly got us expelled!" He asked angrily.  
Ron and Hermione determinedly avoided looking at each other.  
Angelina Johnson approached them suddenly, ending the awkward silence.  
"Harry-Quidditch practice tonight. The game against Slytherin's on Thursday. And they're out for blood. Slytherin's tired of getting beat by us four years in a row, and even though we still have a better team, they play a lot dirtier. Be ready to go out there and play better than you ever have. Oh, and tell Christine, will you?"   
"Sure." Harry felt a little nervous.  
As Angelina left, Harry realized he hadn't talked to Christine in awhile. He spotted her sitting by the window, talking to a girl he didn't recognize.  
"I'll be right back. Don't kill each other while I'm gone." Harry said, not really joking as he left Ron and Hermione.  
He walked up to Christine, and she looked very happy to see him.  
"Harry, it's been awhile." She said, smiling warmly.  
"Yeah, I know. The fifth years have had so much homework lately. Well, anyway, I'm supposed to tell you-we have Quidditch practice tonight. Game against Slytherin this Thursday, and they'll kill us all before they lose to Gryffindor again."  
"Great. Sounds like fun." Christine said, paling slightly.  
"No kidding. See you tonight, Christine." Harry smiled, walking back to find Ron and Hermione sitting on a couch and not talking.  
"It's nearly time for Charms class. I wonder if we're supposed to go or just stay here." Hermione commented when Harry sat down.  
"I've just thought-what if the traitor was Professor Flitwick?" Ron said to Harry, grinning.  
The thought of the extremely small teacher attempting anything evil was a very funny thought. Even Hermione laughed despite herself.  
"He'd go for Neville first. Save himself from flying into the air every lesson." Harry laughed.  
"Well, he'd still have Ron for that." Hermione laughed.  
~*~  
  
A/N- There! Another part and a long one! I hope all of you liked it! Please review and I'll be posting more stuff soon.  



	6. Default Chapter

The rest of their classes that day went on as usual. But all the teachers acted very strangely. They all seemed stiff and nervous, especially around each other. And Harry, Ron and Hermione were the only students who knew why. That night, when Ron and Hermione set off for Muggle Studies and Harry set off for Advanced Astronomy.  
Professor Avery seemed to be in just as worried as the other teachers. He kept fumbling over his words and dropping star charts they were supposed to complete. When class came to an end, Professor Avery assigned no homework, just walked over to his desk, and sat down wearily. Harry watched as he slumped over slightly, his arms crossed.  
"Professor Avery, are you feeling all right?" Harry asked as he walked by his desk.  
"Of course, Harry, thank you for your concern. I feel all right, I suppose, I think I might be coming down with something." Professor Avery said, looking tired.  
"Well-bye, Professor Avery." Harry said, heading off.  
"Good-bye, Harry." Professor Avery called back.  
Harry headed towards the common room, and as he did, he heard two familiar voices.  
"Ron, just because I'm a Muggle-born doesn't mean I'm brainless."  
"Hermione, I never said you were brainless. Far from it, in fact. I'm just telling you that maybe you should be more careful, with everything that's happening. I mean, the Death Eaters and the released prisoners will probably go for Muggle-borns first!"  
"No kidding, Ron. But I think I can handle myself. I do have the top grades in every class here, I think I know SOMETHING about magic." Hermione said angrily.  
"Oh, do you have the top grades? Gee, I never heard that before. When did this happen?" Ron replied sarcastically.  
"Shut up! Good grief, why are you acting like this?"  
"Don't you get it, Hermione? I'm acting like this because I care about you. A lot." Ron said suddenly, and Harry could tell by the tone in his voice that he had barely worked up the courage to say that.  
Hermione obviously had no reply to that. Harry rounded the corner, coming face to face with them. Hermione was looking a little flushed and surprised, and Ron's ears were very pink.  
"Hello! Have a good Muggle Studies class?" Harry asked innocently as if he had no idea of what they had just said.  
"Er…yeah, Muggle Studies was fine." Hermione said weakly.  
"Advanced Astronomy was kind of strange. Professor Avery was acting really oddly." Harry said, wanting to laugh as they both looked at Harry intently, obviously avoiding looking at each other.  
"Well, all the teachers have gone a little crazy after all this traitor business." Ron shrugged.  
"Yeah…I guess." Harry said, trying to shrug off the feeling that something was wrong.  
They reached the common room, and sat down on the most comfortable couches right by the fireplace. Fred, George and Lee Jordan were all nearby, probably plotting some horribly mischievous scheme.  
"So, have you two finished your Potions essay yet?" Hermione asked, settling back onto the back of the couch.  
"No." Harry and Ron said at the same time.  
"You two do know that this is part of a major grade that defines our end of term overall grade, right?" Hermione asked.  
"No." They said at the same time again.  
Hermione tried not to look disappointed with them, she just pursed her lips slightly, and looked into the fire.  
"You know that Viktor told me that in Durmstrang, if your grades get too low, they kick you off the Quidditch team. Don't know why they don't have that rule here." Hermione said.  
Hermione seemed to regret that the moment it left her mouth. She knew how Ron got about Viktor, and Harry saw her watching him nervously.  
"Really? That's fascinating. What other interesting facts did Viktor have to say about Durmstrang?" Ron said through gritted teeth.  
"Oh, just...lots of other stuff." Hermione replied lamely.  
"Huh. So I assume Viktor's been writing pretty often, then?"  
"You could say that." Hermione replied.  
"Isn't that nice, Harry?" Ron asked Harry.  
"Er…sure, that's great." Harry shrugged, seeing where this was going and not wanting to get in the middle of it.  
"Well, if you like Durmstrang and Viktor so much, why don't you just go there?" Ron muttered.  
"What was that, Ron?" Hermione asked sharply.  
Fred, George and Lee were all listening now, though trying to pretend they weren't.  
"Oh, nothing, Hermione. Sorry we're taking up your time. Why don't you just go upstairs and write your precious little Viktor and ask him to tell you more about his wonderful school?" Ron suggested, his voice practically dripping with sarcasm.  
"My precious little Viktor? Good grief, Ron, he's not my boyfriend."  
"Oh, really?"  
"Yeah. Really."  
"Well, then--"  
But before Ron could finish, George turned around with an exasperated look on his face.  
"Oh, why don't you two just admit you like each other and get it over with? The tension's killing us."  
He meant this in a joking sort of way, but both Ron and Hermione fell silent at these words. Harry looked at them, trying not to laugh. They both had turned bright red and Ron was looking furiously at his brother.  
George looked a little embarrassed, knowing he had said the wrong thing.  
"I was just kidding." He muttered, turning back around.  
An awkward silence fell between the three of them.  
"Er…Harry, time for Quidditch practice." Fred said suddenly.  
"Hermione, would you mind going to tell Angelina, Alicia, Katie and Christine that it's time for practice?"  
"N-Not at all, Harry." Hermione practically leaped off the couch, sprinting towards the girl's dormitories.  
Fred, George and Harry just stood there with their arms crossed, looking anywhere but at an ashen-faced Ron.  
Hermione came back down with the rest of the Quidditch team behind her. They all said good-bye to Ron, Hermione and Lee Jordan and then headed off for practice.   
Harry looked back as he left the portrait hole, and saw Ron and Hermione sitting on opposite ends of the couch, looking away from each other determinedly.  
~*~  
"So what was up with Ron?" Angelina asked Fred, hooking her arm through his and he didn't seem to mind.  
"What do you mean?"  
"I mean, he looked like he wanted to crawl into a hole and die."  
"Well…" Fred's voice trailed off.  
"Girl trouble." George chimed in.  
"Oh." Angelina smiled.  
Christine watched this exchange curiously.  
"Ron Weasley? Your friend, Harry? I didn't know he was dating anyone."   
"He's not." Harry rolled his eyes, not wanting this conversation to continue.  
"Okay." Christine said quietly.  
Angelina suddenly cleared her throat, stepping away from Fred and standing in front of the team.  
"So, everyone, game against Slytherin next week. And I've pretty much spread the word that they're out for blood. I mean that VERY literally. Those Slytherin low-lifes don't care what they have to do to win. But I refuse to let my team resort to their level. No, we won't play dirty. We'll play better. Like we have every time before. Practice every night this week, and no complaining. No one here wants to give up the House Cup to the Slytherins, do they?" She finished off her dramatic speech by flipping her broom around in her hand and mounting it expertly.  
Everyone clapped enthusiastically, mounting their brooms as well. The practice went better than ever. Everyone obviously understood what they had to do next week, and they were prepared to do it.  
~*~  
Harry returned to the common room after a very rigorous practice, leading the rest of the exhausted team.   
"Galloping Goblins." Harry said.  
"Working on getting us another Quidditch cup?" The Fat Lady asked cheerfully.  
Katie blew her sweaty bangs out of her eyes.  
"Working would be putting it lightly." She said glumly, getting a cold look from Angelina.  
They all stepped through the portrait hole, finding Hermione sitting by herself in an armchair, her nose buried in a book.  
"Hey, Hermione." Harry said, sitting down next to her.  
She looked up over her book at him.  
"Good practice?" She asked in a slightly strained voice.  
"Yeah, really good actually." Harry said congenially.  
As everyone headed off in their different directions, Harry and Hermione were left alone.  
"So, where's Ron?"  
"Oh. Well. He's upstairs."  
"Doing?"  
Hermione shrugged.  
"Did you two have another fight?" Harry asked.  
"Not…exactly." Hermione finished, turning red all of a sudden and going back to her book again.  
Harry looked curiously at her.  
"Anything you want to tell me?" He asked.  
"No." She said very quickly, not even meeting his eyes.  
"Okay. I'll just head upstairs too, then. I'm really tired. See you in the morning, Hermione."  
"'Night, Harry." She called after him.  
Harry waved over his shoulder, heading up the stairs to the boy's dormitories.  
He entered their room to see Ron sitting cross-legged on his bed, re-reading his Chudley Cannons book. He was holding the book in front of his face, but Harry could still see his remarkably red ears.  
"Hey, Ron." Harry said suddenly, sitting down on his own bed.  
Ron dropped the book, looking around, startled.  
"H-Harry! You're back!"  
"Well, yeah, Ron, although Angelina might prefer it, we don't practice the entire night." Harry said, smiling slightly at Ron's flustered expression and wondering what exactly had made he and Hermione so jumpy.  
"Anything the matter, Ron?"  
"No! Of course not! Nothing's the matter!" Ron said nervously.  
"Okay." Harry rolled his eyes, laughing slightly.  
"What?"  
"Nothing, it's just, something's obviously making you act a little…strange, and I was just wondering what it is."  
"Oh, it's nothing major. Good night, Harry." Ron pulled the curtains around his bed shut.  
Harry laughed again.  
"You're nutters, Ron."  
Ron didn't reply. Harry fell back on his bed, and instantly fell asleep.  
~*~  
A young woman with long dark hair entered The Leaky Cauldron. She was very pregnant, and looked very ill. Her face was deathly pale and she kept coughing. Horrible, hacking coughs that seemed to shake her entire being. She spotted someone across the room and walked quickly over to them. She spoke desperately, as if she didn't have much time.  
"The baby…it's due soon. I don't know if I'll even live through the pregnancy. But if I do…you understand what I asked…"  
"Of course." A thin man who looked very much like a young Lupin.  
"Thank you so much, Remus. Thank you for understanding I have no where else to turn. My family's in shambles, theye disowned me long ago. And with Sirius Black in prison…I-I-you're my last hope. My baby's last hope. I know you'll take good care of this child, and give it a better life then I ever could have. If you'll just raise it for take care of it for a little awhile…I've already secured a spot for it at the Wizarding Adoption Agency. Just make sure my baby goes to a good family--" The woman began to cough again, the wheezing coughs echoing through the Leaky Cauldron.  
"I'd never let you down." Lupin took her hand reassuredly.  
Suddenly, she screamed, clutching her oversized stomach.  
"Remus-get me to a hospital!" She shrieked, going paler than ever.  
Harry suddenly woke up with a start. What the… That had been one of the strangest dreams he had ever had. Who had Lupin been talking to? He didn't recognize that woman. But she did look strangely familiar. Suddenly, Harry's eyes got very wide as he quickly took in a breath. He knew who that woman was. She looked exactly like Christine. He had just had a dream about Christine's mother. But was it true? Harry knew that he often had dreams that showed him something he couldn't have known otherwise. But was this one of them? And if so…how did Christine know him? Left with more questions than answers, Harry fell back on his bed, his mind racing.  
~*~  



End file.
